Daishichi’s Myouka Rangyoku is one of the most ambitious expressions of traditional Kimoto sake we have encountered, and the brewery itself regards it as one of its “Grand Cru” releases. Daishichi was founded in Fukushima in 1752 and has become one of Japan’s great specialists in the demanding Kimoto method. This traditional fermentation process encourages a complex population of naturally occurring microorganisms, with only the strongest yeast strains ultimately surviving. Myouka Rangyoku is a free-run, undiluted Junmai Daiginjo that took Daishichi nearly a decade to perfect, with just 158 bottles produced in its inaugural 1989 vintage. It subsequently became the first Kimoto-style sake to win a gold medal at Japan’s National Competition of New Sake. The selection is extraordinary, extending to the rice itself, with Daishichi employing its proprietary “super-flat rice polishing” technique. Rather than polishing each grain into a conventional rounded shape, Daishichi mills the rice closer to its natural oval form, removing unwanted outer material while preserving more of the grain’s valuable inner core and allowing it to pursue quality rather than chase an impressive polishing ratio. The fermentation is followed by more than a year of maturation before the sake receives an additional four years of bottle aging, giving the wine-like structure and integration that makes Myouka Rangyoku so distinctive. The result is a powerful yet remarkably elegant sake, with layers of melon, white flowers, herbs, steamed rice and mineral notes, along with deep umami and an exceptionally long, expansive finish. There is a touch more sweetness than in some of Daishichi’s other bottlings, but the acidity and structure keep everything beautifully balanced. It is superb with sashimi—particularly richer cuts such as yellowtail belly or toro—and has enough depth and intensity to stand alongside fattier beef or other richly flavored dishes. Myouka Rangyoku remains one of the clearest demonstrations of what great Kimoto sake can achieve with tremendous power, purity, complexity, and elegance in the same bottle. This is the freshest example currently available in the US and is the most recent arrival from Japan from our supplier.
Daishichi Myouka Rangyoku JDGJ 720ml
Daishichi Myouka Rangyoku JDGJ 720ml
Daishichi’s Myouka Rangyoku is one of the most ambitious expressions of traditional Kimoto sake we have encountered, and the brewery itself regards it as one of its “Grand Cru” releases. Daishichi was founded in Fukushima in 1752 and has become one of Japan’s great specialists in the demanding Kimoto method. This traditional fermentation process encourages a complex population of naturally occurring microorganisms, with only the strongest yeast strains ultimately surviving. Myouka Rangyoku is a free-run, undiluted Junmai Daiginjo that took Daishichi nearly a decade to perfect, with just 158 bottles produced in its inaugural 1989 vintage. It subsequently became the first Kimoto-style sake to win a gold medal at Japan’s National Competition of New Sake. The selection is extraordinary, extending to the rice itself, with Daishichi employing its proprietary “super-flat rice polishing” technique. Rather than polishing each grain into a conventional rounded shape, Daishichi mills the rice closer to its natural oval form, removing unwanted outer material while preserving more of the grain’s valuable inner core and allowing it to pursue quality rather than chase an impressive polishing ratio. The fermentation is followed by more than a year of maturation before the sake receives an additional four years of bottle aging, giving the wine-like structure and integration that makes Myouka Rangyoku so distinctive. The result is a powerful yet remarkably elegant sake, with layers of melon, white flowers, herbs, steamed rice and mineral notes, along with deep umami and an exceptionally long, expansive finish. There is a touch more sweetness than in some of Daishichi’s other bottlings, but the acidity and structure keep everything beautifully balanced. It is superb with sashimi—particularly richer cuts such as yellowtail belly or toro—and has enough depth and intensity to stand alongside fattier beef or other richly flavored dishes. Myouka Rangyoku remains one of the clearest demonstrations of what great Kimoto sake can achieve with tremendous power, purity, complexity, and elegance in the same bottle. This is the freshest example currently available in the US and is the most recent arrival from Japan from our supplier.
