Choya Hokkan Ougyoku Junmai is a sake from Hochigi in Japan. This “junmai” sake is made exclusively from Japanese rice that has been polished to 60%. No other forms of alcohol have been added, as is the case with other types of sake.
Colour: Clear with a faint white sheen.
Aroma: Mild notes of apples, melon and pear.
Tasting notes: Light, fruity and fresh.
Serving suggestion: Enjoy it at room temperature or slightly chilled, e.g. with sushi.
Located in Habikino, Osaka, Choya is the world’s largest (and, in the opinion of many, the best) producer of umeshu. And what is that? Yes, umeshu is a Japanese liqueur made from the ume fruit, which belongs to the same family as plums and apricots, but has a significantly higher acid content. Choya makes many different kinds of umeshu, some completely traditional and others more innovative – but what they all have in common is that no artificial additives are ever used – neither coloring nor flavouring.
The flavor of a good umeshu comes not only from the fruit’s flesh and skin, but also from the core. Out of the hundreds of ume varieties that exist in Japan, Choya has chosen to work with only four, of which Nanko-ume from Wakayama in particular is particularly sought after, among other things, because of its high acidity.
