With over 180 years of Sake brewing experience, Tatenokawa was founded in 1832 when the head of the Uesugi clan first visited Shonai, located between Akita and Niigata prefecture, and was mesmerized by the quality of the water, knowing it would be an incredible basis for great Sake. Their production and renown peaked in 1855 when they gifted a bottle to the Daimyo of the Shonai Clan, Sakai Tadakatsu, who christened the name Tatenokawa, or Castle Brook.
Tatenokawa, from the very beginning, has been committed to producing the most exceptional Sake possible, and their steadfast pursuit of excellence has enabled them to craft legendary Sake.
The Nehan Black is a Sake that took years for Tatenokawa to produce and is one of the most sensational Sakes we have tried in recent memory. Taking the attention to detail that we know and love from the '18' and applying it to an ancient, nearly extinct, heirloom variety of rice called Soubewase. While we have previously offered Sake made from different heirloom varieties, Sobewase is unique. About five years ago, Tatenokawa selected an extinct variety of Sake rice from a Japanese Seed Bank and spent the following four years cultivating the rice in their own fields until they arrived at a product they were satisfied with. However, the Ambassador stated that they are always looking to improve. This variety is very difficult to cultivate and harvest, which is why it was lost to the ages and abandoned, like many other varieties, in favor of Yamada Nishiki, which is much easier to cultivate. The problem with using Yamada Nishiki today is that it has become relatively homogeneous across many producers and lacks the unique character of Soubewase. Tatenokawa is the only brewery in Japan that cultivates and brews Sake from Soubewase, and they were quite explicit in stating that they had no intention of letting anyone else acquire this rice. In fact, they said if someone wanted to grow Soubewase, they would have to do what they did and grow it from seed, which only some are willing to do.
The Nehan Black was the first Sake from Tatenokawwa made with Soubewase and is also polished down to 18% like the '18'. It is also aged for two years in cold storage before being released, which brings a level of complexity, depth, and smoothness that young unpasteurized (nama) Sakes lack.
Upon tasting the Nehan, it was immediately apparent that this was something special. It's a subtle yet intricate blend of floral, mineral aromas and crystalline purity that reminds us of white Burgundy. The palate further solidified this idea with its weightless density, incredible texture, and grace. Soubewase lends incredible richness, yet has such energy. While Tatenokawa calls this a rustic example of Sake, it's so finely knit and detailed that it's like drinking classic Grand Cru white Burgundy. The finish is elegant yet explosive, staining the palate for nearly a minute and calling you back for more. This is nothing short of magnificent, and moving forward, heirloom varieties of rice will set some brewers apart as Sake gains more popularity abroad. If you enjoyed some of the other high-end Sakes we have offered, this is highly recommended and, currently, is one of our favorites!
Tatenokawa Nehan Black Junmai Daiginjo
Tatenokawa Nehan Black Junmai Daiginjo
With over 180 years of Sake brewing experience, Tatenokawa was founded in 1832 when the head of the Uesugi clan first visited Shonai, located between Akita and Niigata prefecture, and was mesmerized by the quality of the water, knowing it would be an incredible basis for great Sake. Their production and renown peaked in 1855 when they gifted a bottle to the Daimyo of the Shonai Clan, Sakai Tadakatsu, who christened the name Tatenokawa, or Castle Brook.
Tatenokawa, from the very beginning, has been committed to producing the most exceptional Sake possible, and their steadfast pursuit of excellence has enabled them to craft legendary Sake.
The Nehan Black is a Sake that took years for Tatenokawa to produce and is one of the most sensational Sakes we have tried in recent memory. Taking the attention to detail that we know and love from the '18' and applying it to an ancient, nearly extinct, heirloom variety of rice called Soubewase. While we have previously offered Sake made from different heirloom varieties, Sobewase is unique. About five years ago, Tatenokawa selected an extinct variety of Sake rice from a Japanese Seed Bank and spent the following four years cultivating the rice in their own fields until they arrived at a product they were satisfied with. However, the Ambassador stated that they are always looking to improve. This variety is very difficult to cultivate and harvest, which is why it was lost to the ages and abandoned, like many other varieties, in favor of Yamada Nishiki, which is much easier to cultivate. The problem with using Yamada Nishiki today is that it has become relatively homogeneous across many producers and lacks the unique character of Soubewase. Tatenokawa is the only brewery in Japan that cultivates and brews Sake from Soubewase, and they were quite explicit in stating that they had no intention of letting anyone else acquire this rice. In fact, they said if someone wanted to grow Soubewase, they would have to do what they did and grow it from seed, which only some are willing to do.
The Nehan Black was the first Sake from Tatenokawwa made with Soubewase and is also polished down to 18% like the '18'. It is also aged for two years in cold storage before being released, which brings a level of complexity, depth, and smoothness that young unpasteurized (nama) Sakes lack.
Upon tasting the Nehan, it was immediately apparent that this was something special. It's a subtle yet intricate blend of floral, mineral aromas and crystalline purity that reminds us of white Burgundy. The palate further solidified this idea with its weightless density, incredible texture, and grace. Soubewase lends incredible richness, yet has such energy. While Tatenokawa calls this a rustic example of Sake, it's so finely knit and detailed that it's like drinking classic Grand Cru white Burgundy. The finish is elegant yet explosive, staining the palate for nearly a minute and calling you back for more. This is nothing short of magnificent, and moving forward, heirloom varieties of rice will set some brewers apart as Sake gains more popularity abroad. If you enjoyed some of the other high-end Sakes we have offered, this is highly recommended and, currently, is one of our favorites!
