Ozeki (Champion) Osakaya Chobei Daiginjo Sake

Pour is clear with faint yellow highlights...smell is alcohol and very floral notes...taste is very dry and alcoholic...hints of earth and rice...

Imagine my surprise finding a Daiginjo in a One Cup style! Not sure what to make of this one, not much aroma, alcohol, some koji & almonds. Has a slight sweetness up front but finishes with an interesting dry buttery feel. Better than any other “cup sake” I’ve had but not even close to the Ji-zake I’ve come to love.
Earlier Rating: 12/17/2006 Total Score: 3.2
Clear colorless sake. Koji, fruit and a mild alcohol scent, a lightly scented sake, not overpowering. A mild sweetness up front with koji and almonds followed by a cedary alcohol as it warms in the mouth. Light body, the added alcohol is evident but not unpleasant. For those that appreciate simplicity, you would appreciate the delicate subtle flavors. Not bad, just doesn’t knock my socks off.

Glass @ "Asian Pillow" near Kabukicho - Clear color, nice legs, some fruity pear and anise notes along with the usual kome and light ripe koji. The flavor is smooth, lightly buttery with a general smooth and puffy mouthfeel. Finishes clean and floral. Light impact and long tail. Excellent.

Mine came in a blue bottle and just read "dai ginjo" -- not sure if it was the same thing. One of the most pleasant sakes I’ve had. Pured clear with no haze. Seemingly very light bodied. Most apparent are pine aromas probably from the pine box. Subtle fruit aromas of honeydew. Little to no detectable alcohol despite the bottle reading 16%. Little bite r after taste even when taken in a large gulp.

My bottle was listed as "Ozeki Daiginjo" on the menu and was in Japanese lettering, so I don’t know what it was called. I drank it on 8/25/07 at Fugakyu.
Clear with moderate legs, moderate retention. No chill haze.
Some fruit and nuts in the nose (nectarines, almonds) are somewhat delicate, but that pesky coconut note is right there with it, as is an amount of alcohol vapor that seems far more apparent here than in the only other Daiginjo I’ve had. Medium strength of aroma, just not really crisp, heady or elegant. Weighed down by too much alcohol and bland rice and coconut notes.
Melons, coconuts and light butteriness are all apparent in the background. Alcohol is not terribly pervasive in the flavor, and there are some fruit notes that are pleasant, but it’s just no match for others in its class and even some ginjos that I’ve had. Medium-dry, with a bit too strong of a texture (nutty, rice-hull blandness), IMHO.