Having just obtained my kikisakeshi I thought it would be a good way to celebrate and find out if it works as many specialists believe it can. Much in the same way as I have paired fine wine with Japanese cuisine successfully in the past. So we went along.
Miyasaka, Yamahai Nama 50; Miyasaka Brewery, Nagano
Paired with a Saint Marcellin, Dauphine & a Cashel Blue, Tipperary.
banana, rice mill, fresh and fruity, with hints of cherry, melon and white truffle. Nice balance, quite weighty, rich, floral, pleasant and zesty. 59+/100 which lots of pazzazz with the Saint Marcellin, but gave a rich, tang without compromising its own delicacy to the Blue.
Kamoizumi "Shusen", Junmai; Kamoizumi Brewery, Hiroshima
Paired with a Pecorino Sardo & Langres, Champagne
truffle, mushroom, bacon, quite rich and fat, elegant, white chocolate, herbs, tea leaf, complex, lactic, melon, metal, grapefruit, fairly ripe flavours. 68-71/100 This was very good with the Langres, and the Pecorino was actually really good with the third sake!
Tedorigawa, Yamahai Junmai; Yoshida Brewery, Ishikawa
Paired with a Beaufort d'Alpage which was superb on its own, and the match wasn't too bad.
chocolate, nuts, melon, truffle, creamy, banana, exotic fruit, a touch astringent with a rustic feel to the palate, meaty, long, subtle, cherry, elderflower, mountain meadow, lots of cassis and spiciness. 66/100 This was actually super with the Pecorino having been originally brought out in the wrong order, thankfully Mayuko noticed and told the organisers!
Masumi "Okuden Kan-zukuri" Junmai; Miyasaka Brewery, Nagano
Paired with a Charolais and Soumaintrain from Burgundy, two of my least favourite cheeses, La Fromagerie seems to have done a good job because these were edible. The combo was good with the Charolais and brilliant with the Soumaintrain.
ginger, toffee, almonds, nuts, quite intense, mineral, rose, cherry, chocolate, mushroom, leaves, melon, banana, tea leaf, very long and rich, with an almost umami type quality, intense and long. 67++/100
Umenoyado, Aragoshi Ume Shu; Umenoyado Brewery, Nara
Paired with a Robiola delle Langhe which was a beautiful cheese, but not so good with the drink. The Persille du Marais, Vendee faired better, but these three are ultimately suited to not being paired together.
macerated plum in nihonshu rather than spirit; fresh plum, orange peel, perfumed, intense, lifted, umeboshi but with grapefruit, minerals, banana, apple skin, complex, tangerine, rich weightless power. Almonds and syrup. Quite brilliant and a wonderful surprise. 74+/100
All in all, quite a fun night.