I do like cold Sake, especially this time of year. However, I rarely get a sake menu offered here in a Santa Clarita restaurant other than at a sushi bar. Often, unless I’m in an over-chilled restaurant, I turn to Rose, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Champagne; or white Rhone varietals such as Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne.
But I wouldn’t mind having Sake more often. I’ve learned a lot about cold sake from lessons and tastings, most notably last year’s Discover Sake LA event. I remember passing the Ty Ku table but it being too crowded to get up to, so I was pleased when I was sent the bottle of Ty Ku Black to review.
Aroma is clean, with a hint of citrus.
Flavor of green apples, very smooth, and small wet stones from a perfectly manicured Japanese garden.
Conclusion – If Ty Ku can make cold Sake mainstream with its sleek packaging, sexy advertising and with co-owner singer Ce Lo Green acting as their brand ambassador, they get my vote.
From Website http://www.trytyku.com:
A Super Premium Junmai Ginjo Sake brewed & imported from Nara, Japan – the birthplace of sake. TY KU Sake Black is rapidly becoming the most popular sake in the U.S with its unparalleled quality, taste & style. Crafted from sake rice that is polished so only 55% of the grain remains, a process which removes impurities and refines taste. Recipient of prestigious awards & accolades including the 5 Star Diamond Award, Gold Medal (S.F. Wine Competition) and many more. The Junmai Ginjo classification represents the top 6% of all sake in the world.
TASTING NOTES
Rich texture exhibiting hints of natural sweetness with peach & vanilla on the nose. Enjoy chilled like a fine white wine or in a delicious cocktail. Refrigerate after opening and for best taste, enjoy soon thereafter.
FOOD PAIRINGS
Not just for sushi, TY KU Sake Black pairs well with full-flavored seafood, marinated proteins and oven-roasted dishes. Visit our Food Pairings page for more suggestions and for signature Chef Ming Tsai food recipes.
ALL NATURAL
Completely Gluten Free and contains no Sulfites or Tannins. Sake has a much lower acidity than wine and is made from only 4 all natural ingredients.
RICE: Specialty Yamada Nishiki & Akebono rice, polished away over 45% for purity.
WATER: Pristine iron-free natural spring water from the mountains of Japan.
YEAST: Famed #9 yeast strain brings forth pleasing fragrance and aroma.
KOJI: Handmade koji rounds out the full-body and flavor.
SAKE CLASSIFICATION
Grade is determined by how much the outside of the rice grain is polished away. The more that it’s polished, the higher the quality of the sake.
Polished › 50%
Polished › 40%
Polished › 30%
Polished ‹ 30%
Sake-based cocktails: http://www.trytyku.com/sakecocktails.html
Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column.
