About the brewery : The Kameman Shuzo family brewery is a relatively recent venture, having only been founded in 1916 by Chinju Takeda, a young doctor and heir to a long dynasty of doctors in the Kumamoto region. The decision to create the brewery was the result of a rather bizarre set of circumstances. In fact, in this rural area, it was common practice for local farmers to pay in sacks of rice, including for their medical consultations. So, every year, Dr Takeda saw the bags accumulate over the months without being able to consume them all. It was for this reason that he decided to set up the brewery, to transform the rice he received into sake !
However, there was another difficulty: Kumamoto prefecture is located in the extreme south-west of Japan. This is a temperate and sunny area, a climate that is not very conducive to making sake, which is traditionally done in the north of the country. Work on the yeasts was essential, and Dr Takeda's scientific knowledge was decisive in developing ferments capable of working in these latitudes. The gamble paid off, and Kameman Shuzo can now pride itself on being the southernmost sake brewery in Japan. It continues to work on the same basis as those developed by Dr Takeda in 1916, using only local rice and not refrigerating the vats.

Detailed tasting notes : Awazake is a beautiful Nigori, a cloudy, rich and truly fruity sake. The nose is soft and pleasant, with notes of ripe fruit, pear, pineapple, banana and grape. Tropical flavours - what could be more normal for a sake made by Japan's southernmost brewer! The texture on the palate is rich and dense, punctuated by lactic notes and marked by a fine acidity. This gives it good overall balance and lightness. The result is a perfectly balanced sake, rich yet lively and fresh.

Serving suggestions : To be enjoyed chilled, on its own or as part of a meal. With seafood and grilled white fish. At the end of the meal, with citrus desserts, chocolate and exotic fruit.