Hakutsuru Superior Junmai Ginjō Sake

Rating: 15/23 I enjoyed the Hakutsuru Junmai Daiginjo quite a bit, so I decided to try this since it's considerably less expensive and I saw someone mention it paired well with sushi. N: Melon with good complexity. The slightest banana. It's fruity, but subdued with some clean water and complexity. P: Sweet yet dry, with that pleasant melon coming through and then giving way to sweet rice. There's plenty of clean water and at times a little spice. It's very smooth with no unpleasant notes or excessive alcohol flavor. I agree that this pairs excellently with sushi. F: I apparently forgot to take notes on this. I recall it being quite light and smooth, with a little lingering melon and possibly other flavors. - Conclusion - This is a very good sake. It's extremely drinkable, though not particularly exciting, I suppose, although there is moderate complexity along the usual lines for a junmai sake. I'm considering this a 14 or a 15 and leaning toward a 15. The difference in quality between this and the Daiginjo is not significant. After further thought, I am quite confident giving this a 15. I wish I had the Daiginjo for a direct comparison, but I don't recall the Daiginjo being significantly better. In fact, this being less refined might have given it more character, making it even superior. I could consider a 16 for this, though I'll stick with the 15.

Smooth and subtly floral. A faint aftertaste.