About the brewery : Tentaka is located in the heart of Tochigi prefecture, in the town of Otawara. It's a region rich in nature, with a pleasant, sunny climate, mild temperatures in summer and cool temperatures in winter. The surrounding area, between the Nakagawa and Tokugawa rivers, is fertile. Rice has always been grown here. Water is abundant and pure, available from the Nasudake spring in the northern part of the prefecture. The conditions for producing quality sake are thus largely in place, and the Tentaka brewery takes advantage of them in a rather original production approach. Within this ideal environment, it combines a very strict approach to raw material quality, using organically grown rice, with a strong desire to promote the automation and computerization of its production processes by introducing the most advanced equipment in the field into the brewery. This is a necessity in Japan, where the workforce is shrinking, but also a desire on the part of Tentaka to enable its employees to work in complete safety, while maintaining quality at a high level. A rarity at present, the brewery produces its own rice, helping to blend tradition and modernity.

Detailed tasting notes : With Umakara, the Tentaka Shuzo brewery plays the quality card to produce a Futsuushu, or "table sake", with remarkable qualities. In addition to the care taken, it is made with noble ingredients such as 60% polished Goyakumangoku rice! Efforts that were rewarded with a double gold medal at the 2018 International Wine Challenge in London, in the "Best Futsuushu" and "Great Value Sake" categories. The nose is discreet, delicate, on cereals and dried fruits. Its rich umami brings roundness and creaminess. It is supple and fresh on the palate, with a slight bitterness. The finish is clean and thirst-quenching.

Tasting notes : Futsuushu sakes are generally entry-level, accessible products, often less complex than sakes from the Tokutei Meishoshu appellation. But here we have a very fine sake, easy to drink and very thirst-quenching. Enjoy chilled, up to warm.