Sakaya NYC Blog

May 2012 Sake Tastings

Rick — Sat, 05 May 2012 20:54:07 +0000

May is exciting month. The long-awaited, peach yeast-flavored spring namazake, Kamikokoro Tokagen has finally arrived and Mr. Saura, president of Miyagi’s famous Urakasumi brewery and “Book of Sake” author and Kinoshita brewery’s toji (master brewer) Philip Harper will be joining us for tastings! We’ll also introduce our two newest sake, Kuroushi Junmai and Tatenokawa 33 Junmai Daiginjo.

Saturday, May 5, 2012, 5-7pm

Kamikokoro Tokagen Namazake Tasting (Okayama)

Thursday, May 10, 2012, 6-8pm

Tamagawa Brewery’s Sake Tasting by Philip Harper (Kyoto)

Friday, May 11, 2012, 6-8pm

Urakasumi Brewery Sake Tasting (Miyagi)

Saturday, May 12, 2012, 5-7pm

Kotsuzumi Tokubetsu Junmai Namazake Tasting (Hyogo)

Saturday, May 19, 2012, 5-7pm

Tate no Kawa 33 Junmai Daiginjo Tasting (Yamagata)

Saturday, May 26, 2012, 5-7pm

Kuro Ushi Junmai Sake Tasting (Wakayama)

March 2012 Sake Tastings

Rick — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 20:44:14 +0000

It’s officially Spring namazake season so our tasting line-up this month favors the latest seasonal offerings that we look forward to sharing with you every year at this time. Please join us to enjoy these bright, lively sake that welcome the arrival of Spring!

Saturday, March 3, 2012, 5-7pm

Azumaichi Junmai Tasting (Saga)

Saturday, March 10, 2012, 5-7pm

Japan Prestige Sake Association Namazake Tasting

Harushika Shiboribana Junmai Ginjo Nama (Nara)

Koshino Homare Junmai Nama (Niigata)

Ichinokura Tokubetsu Junmai Nigori Nama (Miyagi)

Friday, March 16, 6-8pm

Spring Namazake Tasting

Thursday, March 22, 6-8pm

Kikusui Brewery Sake Tasting (Niigata)

Saturday, March 24, 5-7pm

Tedorigawa Kinka Daiginjo Namazake (Ishikawa)

Friday, March 30, 6-8pm

Tedorigawa Kinka Daiginjo Namazake (Ishikawa)

We look forward to seeing you at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!

Rick & Hiroko

February 2012 Sake Tastings

Rick — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:39:47 +0000

Now that we’re back from Japan, we’ve been able to put together our schedule of tastings for February. We’re excited to have the brewer pouring a classic Hyogo brew, to offer the latest limited edition early spring nama from Naraman , and to feature an “under-the-radar” favorite at the end of the month. Please join us to taste a diverse variety of fine premium sake!

Saturday, February 11, 2012, 5-7pm

Jitsuraku Kimoto Junmai (Hyogo)

Saturday, February 18, 2012, 5-7pm

Naraman Origarami Junmai (Fukushima)

Saturday, February 25, 2012, 5-7pm

Azumaichi Junmai (Saga)

SAKAYA Vacation

Rick — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:31:41 +0000

We’ll be closing for our annual vacation trip to Japan from Sunday, January 22 until Friday, February 3.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to your visit today or after we return.

Many thanks!

Rick & Hiroko

SAKAYA’s Best Selling Specialty Sake in 2011

Rick — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:46:35 +0000

Among our specialty sake (sparkling, nigori, umeshu, and yuzushu) the top sellers were…

5. Kamoizumi “Summer Snow” Nigori

With the appearance of a blanket of new snow settled in the bottle, this nigori has the refreshing character that delivers an experience consistent with its promise.

4. Ume no Yado Aragoshi Umeshu

This tasty, sweet umeshu is made with sake blended with pureed plum giving it added texture that distinguishes it from other umeshu.

3. Chikurin Hou Hou Shu Sparkling

People seem to love this slightly sweet, lightly effervescent happoshu in the small blue bottle.

2. Chikurin Hana Hou Hou Shu Sparkling

Pretty in Pink! This sparkling sake has the same light effervescence as its sibling combined with a light rose petal aroma…and it looks just plain cute too!

1. Ume no Yado Yuzu

We call it “lemonade for adults.” This yuzu sake is so deliciously sweet, citrusy, and refreshing that people can’t stop drinking it once they’ve started.

SAKAYA’s Best Selling Sake for 2011

Rick — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:54:45 +0000

In 2011, northeastern Japan experienced a major earthquake and its people showed their resilience to the world. New Yorkers responded by buying and drinking sake to support the brewers of the Tohoku region which was most severely affected. And while our customers showed their sympathy for the victims of the triple disaster, their sake preferences were more expansive and encompassed a variety of styles and types.

Counting down our top ten sellers for the year just ended…

10. Kokuryu Gohyaku Mangoku Junmai Ginjo

Sometimes the things we like best are the most difficult to describe and this sake exemplifies the concept. It has a deep, dynamic, rich flavors that seem to captivate anyone who tries it.

9. Masumi Arabashiri Junmai

Masumi’s Arabashiri has almost become synonymous with the term arabashiri itself, which is the first run sake from the moromi tank after pressing. The 2011 Masumi arabashiri had more banana aromas and flavors than the previous year.

8. Kurosawa Junmai Kimoto

The name of sake is the same as Japanese film maker Kurosawa. Because of that, for many the name is easy to remember, and the sake is easy to enjoy too.

7. Otokoyama “Man’s Mountain” Tokubetsu Junmai

Manly name and dry taste, it is an all purpose dry sake.

6. Harushika Shiboribana Nama Junmai

It’s name translates as “Spring Deer,” and this early spring namazake is fruity and happy as one of the many deer in Nara’s famous park.

5. Akishika Bambi Cup Sake

Who can resist buying a cute bambi “one cup”?

4. Urakasumi Junmai

Urakasumi brewery is located in Shiogama where the tsunami hit. Fortunately,the brewer suffered limited damage and got back to making sake soon after. People bought this tasty Miyagi prefecture sake to support the local brewing industry.

3. Dassai 50 “Otter Fest” Junmai Daiginjo

A reliably elegant Junmai Daiginjo sake, you can count on this sake for smooth daiginjo flavor.

2. Narutotai Ginjo Nama Genshu

Move over Dassai! With bold tropical fruit and a hint of cocoa flavor, this sake goes so well with almost any dish including beef, duck, veggies, and fish. If you don’t know what you are having for dinner, this is the sake for you!

1. Kikusui Funaguchi Honjozo

Cool package? Funaguchi. Playing Angry Bird? Funaguchi. Picnic? Funaguchi. Movies? Funaguchi. Don’t want to drink too much? Funaguchi. The mid-night drink for Santa Claus? Funaguchi. It’s the all-purpose, portable, potable, packs-a-punch brew!

January 2012 Sake Tastings

Rick — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:08:25 +0000

Happy New Year! Our tasting line-up is a bit short this month since we’ll be heading to Japan for our annual trip in late January. However, before that time arrives, you won’t want to miss the debut of this year’s namazake from Nanbu Bijin and a great full-bodied yet dry, all-around sake from Kan Nihonkai.

Saturday, January 7, 2012, 5-7pm

Nanbu Bijin Tokubetsu Junmai Namazake (Iwate)

Saturday, January 14, 2012, 5-7pm

Kan Nihonkai Junmai Genshu (Shimane)

Please note that SAKAYA will be closed from January 22 to February 3 while we take our vacation. We hope that you’ll plan to visit us before (or after) at your convenience.

Kanpai!

Rick & Hiroko

December 2011 Sake Tastings

Rick — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 17:24:17 +0000

Along with the Holiday Season this month comes our 4th anniversary celebration to make our tastings even merrier!

Our lineup begins with a tarusake with a tantalizing new twist, followed by our two-day annual all-daiginjo anniversary celebration, the introduction of a new daiginjo from Ishikawa, and finally a pre-New Year’s Eve sampling of the new Dassai 50 Sparkling Nigori.

Please join us for one or all. We look forward to seeing you at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!

Rick & Hiroko

Saturday, December 3, 2011, 5-7pm

Choryo Brewery Tasting (Nara)

Yoshinosugi Taruzake

Friday, December 9, 2011, 6-8pm

Saturday, December 10, 2011, 5-7pm

SAKAYA 4th Anniversary Daiginjo Sake Tasting

Friday, December 16, 2011, 6-8pm

Kikusui Brewery Sake Tasting (Niigata)

Kikusui Junmai Ginjo & Nigori

Saturday, December 17, 2011, 5-7pm

Mujou Daiginjo Tasting (Ishikawa)

Friday, December 30, 2011, 5-7pm

Dassai Sparkling Sake Tasting (Yamaguchi)

November 2011 Sake Tastings

Rick — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:42:48 +0000

With November comes Hiyaoroshi season and Thanksgiving which are not mutually exclusive, as the aforementioned seasonal sake are the perfect complement to the traditional holiday fare.

Please mark your calendar to join us to sample some superb fall seasonal sake, an elegant, silky, under-the-radar food-friendly brew, an exciting new addition to our selection from iconic toji (master brewer) Philip Harper, and an exemplary aromatic daiginjo from Akita prefecture made using flower yeast.

We look forward to seeing you at one or all of our November tastings!

Kanpai!

Rick & Hiroko

Saturday, November 5, 2011, 5-7pm

Hiyaoroshi Sake Tasting

Sawanoi Junmai Hiyaoroshi, Urakasumi Tokubetsu Junmai Hiyaoroshi, & Wakatake Onikoroshi Tokubetsu Junmai Hiyaoroshi

Saturday, November 12, 2011, 5-7pm

Chiyomusubi Sake Tasting

Friday, November 18, 2011, 6-8pm

Tamagawa Tokubetsu Junmai Tasting

Saturday, November 26, 2011, 5-7pm

Chokaisan Junmai Daiginjo Tasting

October 2011 Sake Tastings

Rick — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:06:43 +0000

October is an exciting month beginning with our Fourth Annual Sake Day Celebration on October 1, continuing with four new item introductions, and finally concluding with the much-awaited hiyaoroshi (Fall seasonal sake).

Saturday, October 1, 2011, 5-7:30pm

Sake Day Party

Joto Sake Lineup

Yuki no Bosha Daiginjo (Akita), Wataribune 55 Junmai Ginjo (Ibaraki), Shichihon Yari Junmai (Shiga), and Hana Hou Hou Shu Sparkling (Okayama)

Saturday, October 8, 2011, 5-7pm

Kawatsuru Hojun Junmai Ginjo & Kawatsuru Omachi Junmai (Kagawa)

Saturday, October 15, 2011, 5-7pm

Shichida Junmai (Saga)

Saturday, October 22, 2011, 5-7pm

SENA Tasting

Koshino Omachi Junmai (Niigata)

Saturday, October 29, 2011, 5-7pm

Japan Prestige Sake Tasting

Hiyaoroshi Tasting