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Staff Favorites - Stephen Allison
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Reviews
Tamagawa Kinsho "Heart of Gold" Daiginjo Sake (720ml)
Review Date: 01-07-2019
After tasting Tamagawa's impressive Red Label Junmai I knew I had to try the Daiginjo. I'm glad I did. The nose is an alluring blend of anise, mint, white pepper, pear, honeydew, and subtle nuances of white blossom and grassy green tea. The aroma is a delight, and one that changes as the sake warms. Heart of Gold is best enjoyed right out of the refrigerator but don't keep it chilled. As it warms in the glass, the anise changes to sweeter licorice and the fruit elements better balance the non-fruit spicy qualities. Structure is big for a daiginjo with a stout body, intense flavors and savory texture. If subtlety and elegance it what you're after, Takasago's Divine Droplets or Kokuryu's Crystal Dragon would better serve. However, those brews don't have the twang of crisp acidity or tingle of spicy white pepper on the finish that Heart of Gold does. A sake for Syrah and Gin drinkers, Heart of Gold is like Red Label in that there is no other sake like it.
Price:
$49.99
Kokuryu "Crystal Dragon" Daiginjo Sake 720ml
Review Date: 12-20-2018
Kokuryu's house yeast, as well as locally sourced soft mountainous snow-melt water and locally grown Gohyakuman-goku rice, gives this sake an incredibly clean and nuanced flavor. Imagine a chablis-like minerality with fruity aromas of kiwi, green grape, green apple and lemon yogurt. Light in body and restrained in umami. Finishes dry and crisp; it almost vanishes from the palate. Refreshing acidity. Brilliant, one of the best sakes I've tasted made in the restrained, elegant style.
Price:
$39.99
Tamagawa "Red Label" Heirloom Yamahai Genshu Sake (720ml)
Review Date: 11-20-2018
Good god Mr. Harper, what a magnificent sake you have created. Intense fruity and savory aromas of gummy candy, strawberry, kiwi, marshmallow, mushroom and toasted nuts. One of the most complex, delicious, unique, intoxicating aromas on a sake. One sip and you know this is as good on the palate as it is on the nose: incredibly powerful but velvety and shockingly easy to drink. Structurally, this is maxed out straight down the line: the highest levels of umami, acidity, alcohol, and flavor intensity with the longest finish. Flavors of oily marcona almond and mushroom fried rice can be tasted for minutes. An unconventional masterpiece!
Price:
$34.99
Tensei Kanagawa "Song of the Sea" Junmai Ginjo Sake 720ml
Review Date: 11-20-2018
Lovely stuff. Aromas are classic Junmai Ginjo: fresh honeydew, lemon, lime, pear and green apple with a touch of lemongrass. Intensity is neither robust nor restrained; just right. Light but not thin-bodied on the palate. Acidity is clearly present but does not distract from the subtle flavors of fresh pear and lemon. Finishes clean and lingers just long enough and with a faint impression of sweetness. Extremely well made example of a delicate Junmai Ginjo.
Price:
$34.99
Konteki "Tears of Dawn" Daiginjo Sake (720ml)
Review Date: 11-13-2018
A clean, polished brew. Bright, clear aromas of green apple, green grape, honeydew, rice flour, lemon and white blossom. The sake feels light but not watery on the palate, with a unique chalky grip not unlike fine-grained tannin of a quality aged red wine. A subtle flavor, and one that reminds me of fresh tart fruit rather than ripe sweet fruit. Acidity and umami are understated as well; there is just the right amount to offset the sake's faint sweetness and provide lift. Finish is crisp and tidy. This is one to sip slowly and contemplate, or to enjoy with the delicate flaky white fish and sashimi.
Price:
$38.99
Wakatake Onikoroshi "Demon Slayer" Junmai Daiginjo Sake (720 ml)
Review Date: 11-12-2018
Similar in some ways to K&L’s other Shizuoka prefecture Junmai Daiginjo, Doi brewery’s Takatenjin “Soul of the Sensei” in that both of these brews have juicy, gushing fruit aromatics and big flavor. However, while Soul of the Sensei is a bit drier on the palate with more honeydew melon and nectarine aroma, Super Demon Slayer is sweeter and more tropical with ripe banana, cantaloupe, and peach yogurt with honey. A touch of aniseed keeps things from getting cloying. Let the sake warm up to room temperature and swirl some air into your glass like a wine and be treated to more traditional “Junmai” aromas like savory soy. On the palate, peach, banana, and honey flavor lingers well into this brew’s long finish. Acidity, while there, feels light due to its balance with a kiss of sweetness. The sugar, joined with the slightly elevated alcohol and generous ripe fruit flavor, gives an impression of a silky, soft, creamy texture.
Price:
$49.99
Kikusui Junmai Ginjo Sake (300ml)
Review Date: 11-01-2018
Kikusui Junmai Ginjo is a sake that I consider to be a standard in the category. Best served around hana-hie (50 degrees); at this temperature you will be treated to intense aromas of cantaloupe, honeydew melon and banana with hints of sweet mochi. Although the nose is aromatic, it never comes across as cloying or ostentatious. On the palate the sake is very well balanced; the body is moderately full without weighing down the palate and with just enough acidity, sweetness and umami to support the sake without distracting from its delicious fruit flavor and clean, silky finish. It is everything a quality Junmai Ginjo should be at a fantastic price and is impossible to disappoint!
Price:
$9.99
Kikusui Junmai Ginjo Sake (720ml)
Review Date: 11-01-2018
Kikusui Junmai Ginjo is a sake that I consider to be a standard in the category. Best served around hana-hie (50 degrees); at this temperature you will be treated to intense aromas of cantaloupe, honeydew melon and banana with hints of sweet mochi. Although the nose is aromatic, it never comes across as cloying or ostentatious. On the palate the sake is very well balanced; the body is moderately full without weighing down the palate and with just enough acidity, sweetness and umami to support the sake without distracting from its delicious fruit flavor and clean, silky finish. It is everything a quality Junmai Ginjo should be at a fantastic price and is impossible to disappoint!
Price:
$24.99
Rihaku "Dreamy Clouds" Tokubetsu Junmai Nigori Sake (Unfiltered) (720ml)
Review Date: 09-21-2018
A subtle and light nigori to counter the lusciously sweet style, Dreamy Clouds is a fantastic introduction to dry sake. Rihaku brews Dreamy Clouds with the premium rice variety Gohyakuman-Goku, prized for its clean and subdued flavors, polished to 59%. The Ginjo-level polishing ratio qualifies this sake as a Tokubetsu (special selection) Junmai, a designation reserved for brews a Toji is most proud of. The result is a sake with subtle aromas of white flowers and raw pine nuts, with hints of honeydew and bubblegum. On the palate, Dreamy Clouds is dry, lean, and bright with pronounced acidity and just a dash of chewiness from the very fine rice solids. If you've come to associate simple and sweet with the nigori category, be prepared to have your expectations elevated by Dreamy Clouds.
Price:
$30.99
Asahi Shuzo Dassai "45" Junmai Daiginjo Nigori Sake (300ml)
Review Date: 09-11-2018
Ahh Dassai 50, possibly the best sake to introduce new drinkers to the ginjo style. It is high quality, well priced, and boasts a powerfully fruity aroma that is hard for anyone to find objectionable. The nigori variant is no different: drinkers are treated to aromas of ripe, juicy fruits like cantaloupe, kiwi, peach, plum and grape with hints of honey. The sake is rich and chewy on the palate with a touch more sweetness than the standard Dassai 50 but not so much as to come off as cloying. All of those delicious sweet fruit aromas can be tasted on the palate and well into the finish. Dassai 50 nigori is, simply, a delicious sake.
Price:
$12.99
Fukucho "Moon on the Water" Junmai Ginjo Sake (720ml)
Review Date: 08-20-2018
Moon on the Water will show Sake new-comers what Ginjo is all about! Aromas of honeydew melon, bubblegum, cotton candy, grape and sweet apple. Intoxicating aroma, but skillfully avoids "fruit-bomb" territory with hints of subtle spice and steamed white rice. On the palate, the sake is medium-dry with mild acidity and moderate savoriness. Bubblegum and grape flavors last well into the finish. And, unique to this sake, a texture of firm resiliency like a perfectly cooked grain of rice. It's almost chewy, but in a way that feels silky and elegant. Outstanding.
Price:
$36.99
Yuho Ishikawa "Eternal Embers" Junmai Sake 720ml
Review Date: 08-14-2018
Eternal Embers is an excellent Junmai to be served either hana-hie (50 degrees) or nuru-kan (105 degrees). Expect flavors of toasted grain, banana, honey, brown sugar, with touches of savory soy and raisin. This classic Junmai is weighty and savory on the palate with enough acidity for balance, and tastes dry despite its mouth-filling richness. The finish is long and flavorful, reminiscent of toasted grains and roasted nuts. An easy recommendation for fans of porters, stouts, or big red wines.
Price:
$24.99
Plymouth English Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 08-10-2018
Plymouth is one of the oldest gins produced today. It is, curiously, not a “London Dry” but is its own category of gin. While the classic London Dry style can be produced anywhere in the world and is assertively juniper forward, Plymouth can only be produced in Plymouth, England and tones down the juniper a degree to showcase earthier botanicals such as angelica root and orris root. The resulting gin is distinctive. It, in my opinion, is best in a Martini mixed in early 20th century ratios. Try two ounces of Plymouth stirred with one ounce of Dolin Dry, garnished with a lemon twist and castelvetrano olives. Plymouth compliments the herbal flavors of Dolin Dry and the savory brine of the olives better than any other gin. Salut!
Dolin Blanc Vermouth de Chambery (750ml)
Review Date: 08-10-2018
A unique style of vermouth that is much less herbal than the Dry, just as sweet as the Rouge but with a fruiter flavor, like a white dessert wine. Fans of white port and botrytised wines like Tokaji and Sauternes would be well-advised to try Dolin Blanc. It is an indispensable ingredient in a Manhattan variation, the El Presidente: Stir two ounces of White Rum with one ounce of Dolin Blanc and a dash each of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao and home-made grenadine. It is also delicious served on ice with a muddled strawberry and slice of lemon.
Price:
$15.99
Small Hand Foods Orgeat Syrup (8.5oz)
Review Date: 08-10-2018
Sure, you could make your own Orgeat. It’s not too hard. All you need is a food processor, toaster, slivered almonds, orange flower water, a pinch of salt and 24 hours to let it all come together. It will taste great but will lack…something. Is it the pressed apricot kernels? The touch of California Brandy? It is rare that a packaged product can equate or even better home-made but Jennifer Colliau has accomplished this with her Small Hand Foods Orgeat recipe. Shake a half ounce of this with one ounce Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, one ounce Clement Rhum Agricole, a quarter ounce Orange Liqueur (such as Dry Curacao, Cointreau or Clement Creole Shrub), a half ounce simple syrup lightly infused with cinnamon and one ounce lime juice for an authentic 1944 Trader Vic’s Mai Tai. Sault!
Price:
$14.99
Scrappy's Grapefruit Bitters (5oz)
Review Date: 08-10-2018
Ah Scrappy's, my favorite bitters producer. Their grapefruit bitters smell just like fresh grapefruit. But be careful! If you're used to a few strong dashes with classics like Angostura I find that one dash will do with Scrappy's. These are powerful in both flavor and bitterness, so it is easy to go overboard.
My favorite use for the Grapefruit is in a classic 2:1 Martini with a juniper and citrus forward gin. Stir 2 oz Citadelle Gin, 1 oz Dolin Dry with one dash of Scrappy's Grapefruit. Dolin Dry is still a touch sweet and the dash of bitters does a good job of offsetting the sugar. Finish with a lemon twist. Cheers!
Price:
$19.99
Dolin Rouge Vermouth de Chambéry (750ml)
Review Date: 08-09-2018
In a blind sweet vermouth tasting between Dolin Rouge, Cocchi di Torino, Carpano Antica Formula, and Vya, Dolin was the winner for me. Of the four, Dolin is the most temperate. While the Italian vermouths were grandiose in style, and the Californian Vya eccentric, the French Dolin struck an amiable balance of flavor between its wine base and botanical infusion. Not so fragrant as to swamp your spirit with aromatics, nor so sweet as to throw off the balance of your cocktail, Dolin is the standard for vermouth.
Price:
$15.99
Citadelle French Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 08-09-2018
Citadelle is a Gin that excels in all manner of cocktails. Although the recipe is modern in style, having nineteen botanicals like St. George Botanivore, it is citrus and juniper forward and not so powerfully aromatic as to be judged overwhelming or an acquired taste. Unique to this Gin is its neutral spirit base which is made from wheat. Those familiar with wheat beers and vodkas distilled from wheat can attest to the grain’s capability of imparting an exceptionally silky, rounded texture. These qualities mean that any cocktail made with Citadelle, whether it is a Martini, Negroni, or Gin & Tonic, will taste right and feel neither heavy nor harsh.