Otokoyama - Junmai Daiginjo (720ml)

Otokoyama traces its roots back more than 340 years to Itami, near Osaka, where the sake was favored by members of the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period and even appears in classic ukiyo-e woodblock prints from that era. The brewery eventually relocated its operations to Asahikawa, Hokkaido, where it remains today, drawing on the region's harsh winters and pure snowmelt water from Mount Daisetsu, whose name literally means "great snow."

This Junmai Daiginjo is brewed from top grade Yamadanishiki rice, polished down to around 38 to 40 percent, and shaped by Hokkaido's famously cold climate, which slows fermentation and allows for a clean, refined character to develop. In 1977, Otokoyama became the first sake in the world to win a Monde Selection Gold Medal, a milestone that helped establish the brand internationally and one it has continued to build on for decades since.

The result is an elegant, harmonious sake with soft aromatics and notes of pineapple and plum, layered over complex, rich flavors on the palate. The texture is velvety and smooth, finishing long and refreshingly delicate. Pair it with sushi, steamed fish, or other light, subtly flavored dishes.