 |
 |
 |
|
From Abekan Shuzo, the Junmai-ginjou "Gin no Iroha" has been released in a limited number of bottles. It is a soft and smooth sake, very characteristic of Abekan. The gentle sweetness of the rice, which is a distinctive feature of this rice variety 'Gin no Iroha', is also beautifully expressed. It is classic to pair sushi or sashimi with Abekan's sake. This Abekan 'Gin no Iroha', in particular, pairs well with sashimi made from white-fleshed fish such as madai (sea bream) or hirame (flounder).
The new sake-brewing rice variety 'Gin no Iroha' (Tohoku Sake 218), which debuted in Reiwa 1 (2019), is Miyagi Prefecture’s second original sake-brewing rice variety, introduced about 20 years after 'Kura no Hana' debuted in Heisei 9 (1997).
It was bred by crossing 'Tohoku 189' (later known as 'Genkimaru') as the mother and 'Dewa no Sato' as the father, resulting in a cold-resistant and large-grained rice variety suitable for sake brewing. Its yield is comparable to that of 'Kura no Hana'. It has a relatively heavy thousand-grain weight of approximately 28 grams and a shinpaku expression rate exceeding 80%, which is significantly higher than that of 'Kura no Hana'. Notably, it features eye-shaped shinpaku, which are a major characteristic. The resulting sake has a high extract content, and in sensory evaluations, it is noted for its rich and smooth quality compared to 'Kura no Hana'. The suitable cultivation area is the central and southern parts of the Tohoku region.
Abekan was established in 1716 near Shiogama Shrine in Miyagi. They have been appointed as an official supplier of sacred saké for this shrine to this day. Today Abekan-shuzou is led by Mr. Kankuro Abe, 14th head of the family, and saké making is handled by Toji, Mr. Toshiaki Hiratsuka.
The Sanriku coast is famous for seafood, especially since Shiogama has the highest number of sushi restaurants per capita in Japan. The authentic saké of Abekan is characterized by its purity and smoothness, and it is the most loved saké in this town known for sushi. Abekan-shuzou's saké is mainly distributed and consumed locally, and a small portion of the production is shipped outside of Miyagi.
Their brands include Shikino-Matsushima, Otokoyama, and Abekan. ‘Abekan’ is a premium brand, distributed to selected saké shops on allocation.
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
