Kankiku Meijo, founded in 1883 near Kujukuri, Japan's longest sandy Pacific coastline in Chiba, brews under a name meaning winter chrysanthemum, evoking dignified small-scale production. The Ocean 99 trilogy frames its three seasonal releases as a flight: Ginkai (Departure) in winter, Kuukai (Inflight) in early summer, and Toumi (Arrival) in autumn, evoking a plane's descent over an orange sunset sky above the coast. Bottled as junmai ginjo genshu, undiluted at 55% polish with an SMV of negative six, Toumi is concentrated and juicy with pineapple aromas, rich umami, and a vibrant, clean acidic finish.
May 08, 2025, 7:09 PM
