Tozai Living Jewel Junmai Sake

Rating: 14/23 This brand always has attractive bottles and names. I like both on this bottle. N: Light and fresh with hints of citrus and some kind of sweet fruit, then a bit of vegetal character that becomes richer. The back of the bottle suggests looking for asian pear, which I detect with that bit of somewhat vegetal fruit sweetness before it starts getting richer. I notice a hint of sweet sticky rice in here too. This is a well-balanced nose, though it's not very complex. P: Mmm! This is a pleasant palate. It's smooth and sweet with minimal burn. The fruit flavors sort of flow along, with vegetal notes that don't overpower. It's sweet and mellow, with gently shifting flavors. I detect hints of asian pear mixed with green banana and faint coconut. I don't really get the citrus from the nose, but that's fine. This is fairly dry, but not tart. I notice a brief note of yeast, but it disappears. F: Somewhat fresh vegetal. A bit grassy, with a bit of melon. Not really the asian pears from the palate. A little more heat emerges, adding a touch of spice, but it's not much at all. Occasional hints of green banana in there too. Smooth and clean with some controlled warmth. - Conclusion - This is a smooth, easy-to-drink sake. It's quite enjoyable. There's enough going on to keep it somewhat interesting, but not so much that it becomes amazing or unusual. It's a well-executed sake though and I have no real complaints about it. This is at least a 13, but I would be surprised if it was a 16. It won't be a 17. Revisiting this, I'm now at least a 14. It's a 14 or a 15. Very sippable, though nothing extraordinary. Which is usually typical of good sake. I'm leaning toward a 15 because of its surprisingly full body, but I'm not convinced yet. In a very strange comparison, I placed this against Monkey Shoulder (14/23). The monkey shoulder is more complex, but it hits harder. This is impeccably smooth. I'm not really sure which is better. After continued consideration, I believe that this is worthy of a 15. It's rich with a decent amount going on and no obvious flaws.

A clean citrus beginning, with a peppery end.