Detailed tasting notes: beautiful golden reflections and a nose that expresses beautiful woody and oxidative notes of soy sauce, genmai rice and sesame, honey and dried herbs. A certain acidity is already apparent, with aromas of ripe melon and rice powder. Supple and unctuous on the palate, it quickly becomes rich and powerful, with umami well present. It's spicy, with good acidity mingling with notes of citrus zest and banana. The finish is long, with the bitterness and freshness of spring water.

Tasting notes: This is an easy-to-match sake, as it goes well with powerful dishes as well as more refined ones, such as sushi and sashimi, oysters and mackerel.

About the brewery: Once covered by salt marshes, the coastline where the brewery is located is home to a freshwater spring called “mikoe no mizu”, once used as running water by local residents. Although close to the sea, this water is not salty, as it is naturally purified by passing through layers of granite. Ideal for brewing sake, it is characterized by an absence of iron, a high magnesium content, very little calcium and a hardness index of 94, particularly high for Japanese water.
All sakés from sakan are classified as Tokutei-Meisho-Shu and made according to Ginjo methods. The koji is prepared entirely by hand, with meticulous attention to detail, and fermentation takes place in small vats to ensure precise temperature control.
The Sankan style is distinguished by dry, full-bodied sakes, designed to magnify local cuisine, especially seafood from the nearby port of Shimotsui. Two of the brewery's sakes won awards from the Emperor at the 1903 and 1911 exhibitions. This inspired the brand to take the name “Sankan”, which means “Three Crowns”, with the aim of obtaining a third distinction. Now run by the eldest son in a bid for renewal, the house welcomed a new brewmaster in 2019, tasked with developing cuvées that fully embody Sankan Shuzo's unique identity, true to its motto: “Sake brewing as the only passion”.