Setchubai Junmai Genshu Setchuchozo (72 cl)

A Junmai Genshu sake aged for more than 3 months in a snowy room (‘Yukimuro’ technique), the ideal environment for maturing sake: no air convection, a temperature close to 0°C and humidity above 90%. Silky in texture, this sake develops a refreshing aroma once in the mouth, with a slightly rich yet sweet taste and a strong umami. The finish is also impressive, with a subtle acidity that gives it a clean, light feel.

One of the attractions of this sake is that it is easy to match with a wide range of dishes: it is particularly recommended with tempura, poultry skewers, giblet stew, fried skewers, okonomiyaki, tonkotsu ramen, grilled chicken, roast lamb, fried fish, beef stew, and… cheese!

It can of course be enjoyed on the rocks, chilled or at room temperature, but drinking it hot reveals a mellowness that is worth experiencing.

Maruyama’s first participation in an international competition, this sake won the Gold Medal at the French 14th Féminalise competition in 2020 in Beaunes.

About the Maruyama Brewery

Founded in 1897, Maruyama boasts a brewery surrounded by rice fields as far as the eye can see, a lush natural environment where fireflies flutter in the summer and where there is regularly 1m of snow in the winter. It is in this beautiful, cold environment that ‘Setchubai’ sake is brewed. Any damage to the environment would prevent the sake from being brewed, so Maruyama also contributes to the maintenance and preservation of this indispensable nature.

One of the most important tasks in sake making is the preparation of the koji, which has always been done by hand at Maruyama, because even though it is now possible to automate and mechanise this process, human hands make it possible to produce more precise koji. Limited seasonal sakes such as Ginjo, Junmai, or Tokubetsu Honjozo as well as year-round Honjozo are prepared using the ‘Futakoji’ method, in small shallow boxes of about 1.5 kg of rice, giving the smallest annual production. For the Futsushu sakes that are sold all year round, the house uses the ‘Hakokoji’ method, using larger and deeper crates. The smaller and more manual the production, the more time-consuming it is, but this is the price Maruyama has decided to pay in exchange for high quality sake for its iconic “Setchubai” brand.