A Good Luck Lies in Odd Numbers

I enjoyed several cups of sake in an izakaya that I often go to, and I was getting ready to go home. The barmaster asked me, showing the bottle with only a little bit left, “Would you like to try a different sake?” He didn’t wait for my response and served this nama brew that matured for eight years at room temperature. He already knew my answer.

It was Tamagawa Ice Breaker, the brewery’s iconic summer sake. The label says it was bottled in June 2014, which probably means the brewery brewed in 2013 BY (Brewing Year).

The flavors are intense and taste like everything is packed. They are apricot, roasted tea (over-roasted), and roasted sugar. The sweetness reminiscent of wasanbon, a traditional sugar produced in the Shikoku region with a delicate sweetness and fine texture, is smooth but thick. The complex afternotes are magnificent; light brown sugar syrup and nuance of rice and citrusy notes coexist harmoniously. It gives an impression of being well-aged but remains the memories of adolescence.

According to the website, the ingredient rice of the current brew is Nihonbare, a table rice variety also widely used for sake brewing; however, I am not sure this brew of 2013 BY also with that rice.

Food Pairing

Sweet-and-sour pork, mābo tōfu (spicy Sichuan dish of tofu and minced meat), and grainy cookies with nuts.

– Tasted at Chisō Inageya in February 2022

On the Label

Product Name: Tamagawa Ice Breaker (2013BY)
Brewer: Kinoshita Brewery at Kyōtango, Kyoto
Type: Junmai Ginjo, Unfiltered, Nama, Genshu
Rice: unspecified