In collaboration with Katsuhiko, the son of Masumi Brewery in Nagano prefecture where the association yeast #7 was originally discovered, and with Yuko from NOUSAKU, tin manufacturer in Toyama prefecture, we had hold an event called "Shuki & Sake -Sake tasting with different glassware". It was such a pleasure to plan this event with two of my good friends and comrades in my age who has been introducing tradition of Japan to the world.
After sharing the myths of palate tasting map, we gave guests 4 different glassware; earthenware Ochoko (sake cup), NOUSAKU tin Guinomi (bigger than Ochoko), sake glass cup designed by Yanagi Soetsu, and regular wine glass. In order to taste the slight difference in shape, material, and temperature of the glassware, we have served 3 different Masumi Sake as blind tasting. The venue is filled with Sake loving friends!
Earthenware has its heavier weight, soft textures and warm feeling to your skin and I prefer to enjoy it with warm sake, fuller and rich rice flavored sake. Some people pointed that because it has thicker end, sake feels a bit sweeter. I would love to enjoy warm Masumi Okuden Kantsukuri Junmai in this type of cup in the long winter evening...
Tin ware has amazing heat-transfer performance, is antioxidant and antibacterial and NOUSAKU casts 100% pure tin that is so flexible and bendable by fingers. I enjoyed to feel the cool temperature of sake on my first contacts with fingers and lips, to see the sake gradually gets softer and purer in the tin cups as the time goes by. It would be interesting to taste young sake just bottled and closed, to see the gradually change in the tin cups.
sake glass cup designed by Yanagi Soetsu is very minimal designs which prefers the simple and less fragrant sake. When taste Masumi Okuden, it gave me an unique milk chocolate aromas. To be honest, I was a bit (a bit!) disappointed by the fact that for most of the sake, wine glasses beat any other glassware to feel the delicate difference in color and aroma, various flavor components, structure and body of the sake. Masumi Arabashiri Junmai Ginjo Nama is the best vintage this year and I just loved it tasting in wine glass. The venue is one of the newest Japanese Tapas & Noodle place "Kirazu" in Soho London, The owner chef Kikuchi who used to be a headchef at Mitsukoshi London and worked at Jin in Paris had made great selection of dishes to match with Sake after blind tasting. I loved the space here and felt everyone was having great time there.
Big thanks to Asami san from World Sake Import fro giving me useful advices for the event, and to Miyasaka family, mother Kumi san and brother Hide kun for working so much for welcoming guests, washing dishes to cleaning...Thank you! Chef Kikuchi, Katsuhiko and Yuko, I am looking forward to planning something more in the future.
ロンドンに修行中の長野県諏訪の七号酵母発祥蔵、宮坂醸造の勝彦くんと富山県高岡の錫をはじめとする鋳物メーカーの能作の海外営業のゆうこさん。同年代で、日本の伝統文化を独自のスタイルで海外に発信するもの同士、日々とても仲良くさせてもらっています。幸運なことに、そんな二人と今回、異なる酒器と日本酒のテイスティングの会を企画させてもらえることになりました。
未だ至る所で使用されている、舌の部分で味わいの感じる場所が違うという舌の味覚のマップの神話説を紹介し、試飲へ。使って頂く器は、焼き物のお猪口、能作さんの錫のぐい飲み、柳宗理デザインの冷酒グラス、ワイングラスの4種。お酒のスペック等の固定概念に縛られずに純粋に酒器の形や素材、温度感などを感じてもらいたいため、真澄さんの3種のお酒は銘柄名を伏せ夫々ブラインドテイスティングしてもらいます。会場はソムリエや飲食店関係等、日本酒を愛する仲間でいっぱいです。焼き物はその重量感と手に馴染む柔らかさ、温かみが特徴的でお燗酒やどっしりお米らしさの詰まったお酒に向いています。他の器よりも飲み口が厚いこともあり、とろっと舌にお酒が伝うため若干甘めに感じるという意見もありました。大好きな、「真澄 奥伝 寒造り 純米」を温めてゆっくりと頂きたいものです…
錫は伝熱性と抗酸化性、抗菌性に富み、純度100%の能作さんの錫製品は指で形を変形させられる位の柔らかさ。器を持ち上げる指や唇を伝って、キンと冷やしたお酒の冷たさを感じ、時間の経過とともに注がれたお酒がまろやかに、透明になっていく様子が非常に面白かったです。個人的には瓶詰め直後の若くて硬いお酒が開く様子を錫を使って楽しみたいなと思いました。今回は英国未発売の「真澄 山花 純米大吟醸」がぴったりだったなぁ。