A NEW CONCEPT: CHALLENGING THE NORMS Brewed by a modest, local sake brewery whose maxim is “good sake ages well”, X3 AMAIRO was conceived from the principle of “sake food pairing”. In addition to the adoption of several approaches from the wine industry, such as blending or modern brewing methods, this procedure allows the brewery to create a vast range of unique sake products, totally new both in style and technique. Selective older vintage blends, for instance, provide good examples that validate this doctrine.
RICH IN AMINO ACID What is unique in “x3 AMAIRO” is the use of Kouji – a rice-malt which is a nationally specially designated fungus in Japan. The proportion of Kouji within “x3 AMAIRO” is three times more than normal – a consequence of which is the production of more amino acid, giving the beverage a value of 2.3.
MIRIN, COOKING SAKE, BY THE WAY The “fish dish” is as much emblematic of Japanese gastronomy as are Sushi and Sashimi. The fifth key taste profile, known as Umami (sweet, sour, salt and bitter being the first four) holds an important place in Japanese gastronomy. The Umami taste is experienced in the variety of Japanese fermented foods such as soy sauce or the fish broth named dashi. This subtle flavour is additionally enhanced by Mirin, itself an essential condiment and very common in many dishes, which is succinctly described as a type of sweet “cooking sake” A small amount of Mirin is used to either add a bright touch to grilled or boiled fish, to reduce the smell of fish or to help ingredients more readily absorb the Umami flavour. Due to its high alcohol content and abundance of amylose – which comes from glutinous rice – the savoury balance is rather unsuitable for contemporary drinking although Mirin once had a place akin to Port wine during the Edo period (17th-18th centuries).
KINMON AKITA SAKE BREWERY, “x3 AMAIRO” (photo left) “x3 AMAIRO” was created to occupy the same role as Mirin yet it is pleasantly smooth on the palate – much like an authentic Junmai-shu – a pure-rice sake made from only rice and water without any distilled alcohol.
When paired with certain foods, that are otherwise usually incompatible with wine – sea urchin or oyster, for instance, the discerning taster will be impressed by “x3 AMAIRO”, especially in how well it brings out the sublime creamy Umami flavour from the sea-urchin and enhancing the taste experience of both the food and the beverage.
A real “food friendly” sake indeed. Whether with a sharp-flavoured blue cheese or to accompany fatty Chinese foods such as braised pork, compatibility is assured.
There is nothing quite like “x3 AMAIRO” but if one had to pick a wine to replace it, Sherry Amontillado from Jerez or the sweet Sauternes are the only candidates.
