
Konishi Brewing, established in 1550 in Itami, Hyogo, is recognized as one of the oldest continuously family-operated sake breweries in Japan, and Itami itself is historically credited as the birthplace of refined clear sake (seishu). The Shirayuki (White Snow) brand name dates to the early Edo period, when the second-generation head of the brewery reportedly named it after seeing snow-capped Mount Fuji during a sake delivery to Edo. For this Junmai Ginjo, the brewery sources Yamada Nishiki grown in Hyogo's Special-A district, the most prized appellation for this variety, and mills it to ginjo specifications. The result carries the clean, mineral-tinged character typical of the Nada-Itami corridor, balanced by the delicate fruity esters of slow, low-temperature fermentation.
Sep 03, 2023, 8:21 PM