Setsugetsubijin Junmai Ginjo Sake

Brewed by Oimatsu Shuzo Co. Ltd.
Style: Saké - Ginjo
Hita, Oita, Japan

Serve in Guinomi, Masu, Ochoko

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Bottle shared by bhensonb. Pours tinted white with a stong fermented rice aroma. The flavor is passable, and quite typical of sake, but a bit more starchy than usual.

Bottle from World Market. Pours perry color. Aroma is moderate fusil oil. With a little green melon. Near medium body. Flavor is rice, green melon and a hint of fusil oil. Actually much more palatable than many cheap sakes.

Trader Joe-san’s. Almost crystal clear. Aroma is sweet with rice, alcohol and light fruit. Tastes light and sweet at first, but ends more dry and spicy. Slightly grainy but quite smooth. Great for the price of $9.99.

720 mL bottle as Trader Joe-san’s Junmai Ginjo Premium Sake. Served chilled, warming over the course of a couple hours. Pours clear with a faint golden tinge. Alcoholic aroma with a sweet vanilla frosting aroma and hints of banana and vinegar tone. In the flavor, the "frosting" definitely seems more like brown sugar and a bit of vanilla extract, with some candied dark fruit and the banana hints. Slightly sweet with the alcohol pronounced but still smooth. Finish leaves just a little of the vanilla and candied fruit notes. My first time trying sake--that is, the first time I have a clear memory of. Takes a bit of time to get used to, but this certainly seems like a decent place to have started.

Bottled, labeled as Trader Joe-san’s Junmai Ginjo Sake. Clear with the slightest yellow tint. A little leggy, but not overly so. Aroma of "Circus Peanuts" candies and a touch of rice-wine vinegar. Mildly sweet, slightly acidic flavor with some raisins and sugared dates. Flavor seems more and more sweet the longer you savor it. Warm, alcoholic finish but very smooth and in no way hot or abrasive. Slightly slick yet mostly watery mouthfeel. Better than average and very drinkable.

Bottle. Pours clear and still, like water. Lightly sweet aroma, some almost doughy rice notes and a hint of pear. The flavor brings a more well rounded pear like sweetness, a light candy like sweetness, and just a light boozy burn. Decent.

Bottle at Jimmy Wan’s (Fox Chapel). Pours an almost crystal clear, very water like. Aroma is sweet and a subtle note of fruit. Flavor profile is more of the same, fruit note is plum and peach, they become a little more apparent as it warms. No real alcohol burn to speak of. Very smooth and non-offending sake. Nicely done !

This brew has a few small hints of bitter, but if served properly chilled, they mellow out. Great hints of melon, hints of green apple, some sort of high-pitched floral nose mixed with slight scotch, especially when room temperature. Pretty tasty with a frozen berry or apricot! Also with heavier foods, perhaps some spice. I think the current averaged rating is kinda low - this is a 4 out of 5 sake - very reasonable and tasty, but keeping in mind that great sake is indeed 20% better - though waaay more expensive! Bravo Trader-Joe-San! A great bargain on a quality product.

Labeled as "Trader Joe-san’s Selected Sake from Japan Junmai Gingo". Drank at 55*F. Pours clear and hued like water. Legs are minimal. Aroma is a bit earthy, with pear and peach notes, cotton candi, koji, banana and fusel alcohol. Overall sweet. Taste is sweet with koji, a bit nutty. Hints of vanilla and fruit. Alcohol is reigned in MUCH better than I expected for something of this price and quality. A bit of marzipan on the finish. Clean. A bit thing on the mouth. Light and refreshing. Well hidden alcohol, good balance and really, a very good cheap sake.

UPDATED: OCT 15, 2008 Blue bottle from TJ’s. Clear in color. Somewhat sweet candyish aroma. Some alcohol. Slightly sweet in flavor with some graininess. A bit of alcohol is noticeable. Pretty easy to drink though.