11.11 Staff Picks Part 3 - Expert Edition!
Our last and final pt 3 of staff picks for 11.11.22!! We've indeed saved the best for last, recommendations coming straight from those who know and love their sake, including sake sommeliers. From who can you get better sake recommendations from ??
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Leanne, who is one of our managers and also a sake sommelier. She loves iichiko shochu so much that she is basically a walking advertisement for iichiko. Besides iichiko shochu, she also has other quality picks for you to try!!
Leanne's Picks (left to right):
1) iichiko Special Mugi Shochu
It is to no surprise that Leanne has iichiko in her staff picks this year too! This award-winning iichiko Special Shochu is a mature shochu produced using raw spirits aged in barrels, producing a rich aroma and a mellow taste. It can be enjoyed on the rocks for its excellent aroma, with cold water for a lingering flavour, or straight up for its unique taste. Best paired with premium sashimi like Hotate, Tsubugai, Otoro.
"Award winning shochu that tastes like whiskey!"
A high carbonated highball that blends malt whiskey from Scotland with our clear spirits. With zero purine and carbohydrates, it is an ideal alcoholic beverage that is good for the body. It pairs well with everything from appetisers, to main courses and even desserts. Great for drinking with friends or a solo drinking session!
"Why not drink Chu-Hi at home instead of izakaya for less than $7!"
3) Tamano Hikari Reizo Shu Paper Pack Junmai Ginjyo Sake
The Tamano Hikari Reizo Shu Paper Pack Junmai Ginjyo Sake has a graceful and dry flavour, uniquely packaged in a paper soft-pack. Best served as a frozen sake slushie after freezing it. A special frozen treat that is hard to come by!
"Freeze your sake and serve it like a 'Sake Slushie'"
4) Meiri Shurui Premium Japanese Craft Gin
A Japanese original craft gin based on spirits distilled from sake and stored for 10 years. Boasting flavours of the earth, this gin uses seven high-quality botanicals from woody scented fine juniper berries to citrus fruits and cinnamon. You can enjoy its rich fragrance and exhilarating taste.
"Not your normal Japanese gin and it tastes too good to be true!"
Also our manager, Steph loves good quality sake for an affordable price, talk about getting a bang for your buck! Psst, she is a huge dog lover and has a really cute daschund called Nori!!
Steph's Picks (left to right):
1) Kiku-Masamune Kimoto Daiginjyo Sake
Brewed using the traditional and labour intensive Kimoto method, resulting in its signature clean, crisp taste. This sake is one to please with its distinctive, rich flavour slightly tart with a slight semblance of pears. SO GOOD that you can have it room temperature or chilled! A perfect pairing with garlic flavour chicken wings, sushi or steamed fish.
"Very affordable daiginjyo sake, the bottle is so pretty too!"
An amazingly affordable sake that, despite its price, definitely does not skimp on taste or quality!! The Ozeki Rai Junmai Sake is produced using a modern labour-intensive production process. The resulting sake has a pleasant earthiness that is neither too bold nor meek, with subtle hints of caramel on the nose.
"Only $34 for this 720ml? Take my money!"
3) Tamano Hikari Hiyaoroshi Bizen Omachi Junmai Daiginjyo Autumn Sake
A beautiful autumn seasonal, that has a characteristic rich and mature taste that comes with all unprocessed sake! This sake was fermented over the summer until matured enough, then filled in a bottle without second pasteurization. It is fruity and medium dry and is best served chilled. A great way to experience autumn in a bottle~
"it's fall so must drink autumn sake."
4) Kyohime Kanjuku Yuzu Ume Liqueur
The Kyohime Kanjuku Yuzu Ume is produced with ripe yuzu fruits and mixed with plum liqueur, resulting in a refreshing drink with a light, fruity aroma and a lingering aftertaste. Best served chilled to beat the Singapore heat!
"Great yuzu liqueur with low alcohol content!"
Jian Hao is known as "the sake enthusiast" in the company because he has new sakes to recommend almost every single day. Literally a walking sake encyclopedia, ask him anything about sake and he will know.
Jian Hao's Picks (left to right):
1) Kiku-Masamune Koujyo Shiboritate Junmai Sake
Another fantastic, value for money sake, refreshing with a strong peach and pineapple tropical fruit flavour. A new world saké with strong fruit flavours on a crisp, clean saké using old-world production methods. Recommended pairing with gyoza, chives, minced meat, truffle spaghetti, saba sashimi and grilled rice mochi. For less than $50 after the discount you've got to try it!
"Value for money, aromatic and easy to drink, made with kiku-masamune's inhouse yeast"
2) Naraman Junmai Ginjyo Sake Mirai
Using a special breed of sake mirai rice, the Naraman Sake Mirai Junmai Ginjo was born. It is an extremely aromatic sake; with a nose of melon, pineapple and honeysuckle, causing it to have both a fruity and floral fragrance. It has a unique flavour of banana and strawberry, finishing with a touch of acidity that reminds one of Yuzu peel. Refreshing!
"Made using a special type of Sake Rice from Juyondai (Sake Mirai Rice), Naraman Sakemirai is aromatic, juicy and plump. It uses the yeast that went to space, which is also the flagship yeast of Fukushima Prefecture (Utsukushima Yume Yeast). "
3) Koshi No Kanbai Kin-Muku Junmai Daiginjyo Sake
Made from Yamada Nishiki rice with a polishing ratio of 35% and is known for its faint ginjyo fragrance and profound, delicate flavour.
This sake is the best way to experience the unique qualities of sake made with Yamadanishiki, which grows more flavorful over long brewing. To fully enjoy Kinmuku’s fragrance and taste, it is best served warm.
"Kinmuku, which means pure gold in english is a sake that was aged with the utmost care at sub-zero temperatures. It showcases the full potential of Yamada-Nishiki Rice, well-balanced with a gorgeous aroma and delicate mouthfeel."
4) Kamoshibito Kuheiji Junmai Daiginjyo Sake
Looking for something to WOW your tastebuds? This is a beautiful and elegant sake with complexity and energy, it has a melon, pear, apple on the nose, with a hint of lychee, wood leaf, and Japanese cypress.
Due to the less polished rice and fermentations at higher average temperatures, it brings its sweetness, umami, acidity, astringency and bitterness. A beautiful expression of what we call Go Mi, the five flavours in Japanese.
"Wine-like complexity that covers the 5 gomi of Sake"
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After 3 parts of staff picks and over 30 vastly different products to choose from, I am sure you have something in mind!! What are you waiting for then? Add it to your cart, remember to use the code <SAKEINN11> for 11% off and checkout now!
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