AOKI - YUKIOTOKO HONJOZO

Brewery information

Aoki Shuzo was founded in 1717 and has been brewing sake for more than 300 years in Uonuma, one of the snowiest regions in Niigata Prefecture. The brewery benefits from exceptionally pure meltwater from the surrounding mountains and the expertise of the traditional Echigo Toji, the master brewers for which Niigata is famous.

At the helm of Aoki Shuzo is Muneyoshi Higuchi, a toji who places tradition and gastronomic drinkability at the center of his craft. Although originally from Nagasaki, his passion for Niigata sake brought him to the prefecture, where he has now built up more than thirty years of experience. Before joining Aoki Shuzo around 2016, he worked at two other renowned breweries in Niigata.

A fresh and dry sake, known for the Tanrei-Karakuchi style that Niigata is famous for. The sake is brewed with Gohyakumangoku, a typical Niigata sake rice that gives it a light structure and a pure, refined flavor.

Because this is a Honjōzō, Higuchi-san adds a small amount of brewer’s alcohol at the end of the brewing process. This helps open up the aromas and gives the sake a lighter, drier, and cleaner finish. Combined with the soft water from Niigata’s snowy region, this creates a clear, refreshing sake that shows beautifully both chilled and warmed.

Be sure to try serving this at different temperatures.