What kind of sake brand is 残響 Zankyo ?

07/13/2022

Approaching the finest level of sake produced by Miyagi’s brewery, The art piece “Zankyo"

Hello. Today, We would like to introduce Miyagi Prefecture’s sake “Zankyo"!
In a sense, it may be enough to tell you about “Zankyo".
One word is super premium sake! !!

The price is about 51,840 yen for 720ml on Amazon in Japan. There is no problem in declaring that it is the highest level sake in terms of both price and taste.
This is evidenced by the achievements made at the reception of the American Grammy Awards and the award history of “SAKE COMPETITION", which determines the best sake in Japan, in the “SUPER PREMIUM category".

Only a few are manufactured every year! Super rare and premium sake “Zankyo". We will introduce it immediately!

Contents

What is “残響 Zankyo"?

The taste of “Zankyo"

What is “Niisawa Brewery" that brews “Zankyo"?

Introducing “Zankyo" and “Hakurakusei"

Summary

 

What is “残響 Zankyo"?

“Zankyo" is a sake that boasts an amazing rice polishing rate. The rice polishing rate is a numerical value that indicates how the rice is shaved.
In sake brewing, the central part of the rice called 心白Shinpaku is used, so there is work to scrape the rice.

The more rice is shaved, the more sake is made using only the necessary parts, so it is generally a good sake and the price is usually higher.
Seimai-Buai 70% or less is Honjouzo, 60% or less is Tokubetu-Honjouzo, Tokubetsu-junmai, Ginjo, junmai-Ginjo. And less than 50% are Dai-Ginjo and junmai-Dai-Ginjo.

Well then, Seimai-Buai of “Zankyo", but now it’s 7%!
That is, the ultimate luxury of scraping 93% of a grain of rice and using the remaining 7%!

If you try to scrape this much, the rice will usually break on the way. This Seimai-Buai is a proof that rice is used luxuriously, and at the same time, it is a proof that it is made with high technology.

The taste of “Zankyo"

Elegant and delicate, it has a melon-like scent that comfortably stimulates the nasal passages. The characteristic of “Zankyo" is the well-calculated balance that uses only 7% of the center of rice, which gives it a clear taste without any unpleasant taste, yet you can feel the taste of rice firmly.

It’s basically a good match for any dish, but you can still enjoy the finest meat and the exquisite taste of seasonal seafood. The delicate taste and high-quality umami of “Zankyo" are intertwined with the food, and you can get a glimpse of the ultimate in food.

What is “新澤醸造店 Niisawa Brewery" that brews “Zankyo"?

“Zankyo" is a sake made by the brewery “Niisawa Brewery" that brews “伯楽星 Hakurakusei".

Founded in 1873.
“AtagoーnoーMatsu", a brand that has been around since its founding, has been popular in the local area, and the poet Bansui Doi of “ArajoーnoーTsuki" wrote that “Sake that opens at the top of Tateyama, rather the scent of Atago pine." It is said that he drank it.

In 2000, Iwao Niizawa (5th generation), who is currently the representative director, became the youngest brewer in Miyagi prefecture. The following year, a new brand “Hakurakusei" was announced only at dealers. “Hakurakusei" was created with the aim of complementing any dish in an era when there were only the words “apéritif" and “digestif", and was a pioneer of “drinking sake". Currently, with the concept of “ultimate in-meal liquor", it is often used in restaurants with stars both in Japan and overseas.

After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, we decided to move the manufacturing warehouse from Sanbongi, Osaki City to Kawasaki Town, Shibata District. Production resumed in November of the same year, and the completely destroyed head office was rebuilt in August 2013.
In 2018, Toji was taken over by Nanami Watanabe (22 years old at that time), and Toji, the youngest girl in Japan, was born. Even after moving away from Toji’s role, Niizawa continues to teach sake brewing with an awareness of the cup of sake that customers drink.

Then,We would like to introduce the relationship of Masaharu Fukuyama, a musician who represents Japan.

Mr. Fukuyama is a big liquor lover, and he also likes sake very much.
My favorite sake is “Hakurakusei". Yes, it is sake brewed by “Niizawa Brewery".

There is an exchange between “Niisawa Brewery" and Mr. Fukuyama, and Mr. Fukuyama names a bottle of sake to show the relationship.
That is this “Zankyo". It has the same name as the album “Zankyo" released by Mr. Fukuyama.

The finest sake that has been given the name of a first-class entertainer. “Zankyo" is a gem that deserves to be called first-class sake!

Introducing “Zankyo" and “Hakurakusei"

残響 SUPER 7  Zankyo Super 7

Zankyo is sold in limited quantities every year. Seimai-Buai is an amazing 7%, and it usually takes about 150 hours to shave rice for about 10 hours.
The finest sake made with great care. Enjoy the taste of rice while having an elegant aroma and delicate and refreshing taste.

伯楽星 特別純米  Hakurakusei Tokubetsuーjunmai

It features YamadaーNishiki’s swelling and refreshing umami and sharp acidity. It goes well with seasonal fish and shellfish sashimi, fish and shellfish pots, and Chawanmushi.

伯楽星 純米吟醸  Hakurakusei junmaiーGinjo

Sake brewing suitable rice produced in Miyagi prefecture, which makes the best use of the sharp characteristics of the brewery’s flower, has a smooth mouthfeel, and a delicate and refreshing taste that disappears immediately after spreading.
It goes well with a wide range of dishes such as fish and shellfish, soup stock, smoked foods, cheeses, smoked salmon and prosciutto ham salads.

伯楽星 純米大吟醸  Hakurakusei junmaiーDaiーGinjo

Seimai-Buai 40%. It is a limited brewed sake of Hakurakusei using Okayama prefecture’s Omachi. It is finished in an exquisite balance with the plumpness of Omachi and the sharpness of Hakurakusei.
It goes well with seasonal seafood sashimi, soups, tempura, cheese, etc. By the way, it is a sake equipped with JAL international flight first class.

伯楽星 純米大吟醸 特A地区 東条秋津産 山田錦 29%  Hakurakusei JunmaiーDaiーGinjo TokuーAーChiku TojoーAkitsuーSan YamadaーNishiki 29%

Seimai-Buai 29%. It is the highest peak of Hakurakusei using only Yamada Nishiki in the Akitsu area, which is the highest rank. The elegant fruit scent and the plump, soft sweetness pop open and disappear quickly.
Especially compatible with raw oysters, white fish sashimi, smoked cheese, etc. It is also recommended to use it as an apéritif for a toast.

Summary

The brewery is “Niisawa Brewery", which is famous for the ultimate in-meal sake “Hakurakusei". With Masaharu Fukuyama as the godfather, the sharpened taste with a rice polishing rate of 7% is truly top notch.
“Zankyo" is a sake with a special price and taste. Although it is a very expensive sake, it is a surely popular and “selling" sake.

It’s hard to drink normally, but why not enjoy this “Zankyo" on a special day and a special companion with you?