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季節のおひたし ✕ 水芭蕉純米大吟醸翠（永井酒造）
繊細でクリアな味わいの出汁が染みるお浸し（400円）には、品のある甘みと香味をもつ純米大吟醸（800円）を。春菊やキノコの風味にしっくり寄り添う。
Seasonal boiled vegetables X MIZUBASHO Junmai-Daiginjo Sui (Nagai Brewery)
For the ohitashi (400 yen) soaked in a delicate and clear-flavored dashi, pair it with a junmai daiginjo sake (800 yen) that has an elegant sweetness and aroma. The sake complements the flavors of the chrysanthemum greens and mushrooms perfectly.
野村さんがよく意見交換をする同い年の蔵元がいるという松露酒造の芋焼酎。従来の焼酎のイメージとは一線を画す軽快なラベルデザインが目を引く。焼酎としては低めのアルコール度数のため、毎日飲みにも最適。
A sweet potato shochu from Shoro Shuzo, which has a sake brewer of the same age as Mr. Nomura with whom he often exchanges opinions. The light and stylish label design, which sets it apart from traditional shochu images, catches the eye. With a lower alcohol content than typical shochu, it’s ideal for everyday drinking.
SABUROMARU Junenmyo Rouge Whisky (Rouge is for international use)
自社製モルトと海外の原酒をブレンドし、世界初の鋳造製蒸留器を共同開発した富山・若鶴酒造によって造られた。「国産ウイスキーでここまでスモーキーなフレーバーは珍しく、まろやかで豊かな味わいが広がります」
This whisky is produced by Wakatsuru Distillery in Toyama, which blends their own malt with imported spirits and co-developed the world’s first cast iron still. “It’s rare for a Japanese whisky to have such a smoky flavor, and it offers a smooth, rich taste that spreads across the palate.”
国内外のウイスキーのコンペティションで受賞したプレンデッドモルトウイスキ一。「日本最小クラスの蒸溜所がブレンドにこだわった新鋭シリーズ。オレンジのような華やかでフルーティな複雑味が魅力です」
An award-winning blended malt whisky recognized in both domestic and international whisky competitions. “A new series meticulously blended by one of Japan’s smallest distilleries. Its charm lies in its complex flavors, featuring vibrant and fruity notes reminiscent of orange.”
TENSEIHOJUN Bourbon Cask Finish
独自製法で生み出した芋焼酎の原酒を、パーボンウイスキーの古で貯蔵熟成した本格芋焼酎。「樽由来のバニラ香とトロピカルフルーツのような香りが融合した風味がユニーク。芋焼酎が苦手な人でも美味しく飲めます」
A premium sweet potato shochu made by aging the original shochu, created through a proprietary method, in old bourbon whiskey barrels. “The flavor is unique, combining vanilla notes from the barrel with tropical fruit-like aromas. It’s delicious even for those who don’t usually enjoy sweet potato shochu.”
田園風景が広がる福島・只見町の酒米農家が100%只見米で造る“只見生まれの完全ドメーヌ米焼酎”。「米の甘みを感じながら後切れがよい味は、”“世界一、和食に合う米焼酎”を目指した蔵の念が表れています。
A “pure Domaine rice shochu” born entirely in Tadami, made with 100% Tadami rice by sake rice farmers in Tadami Town, Fukushima, where rural landscapes stretch out. “The taste, which allows you to feel the sweetness of the rice while having a clean finish, reflects the distillery’s aim to create ‘the world’s best rice shochu to pair with Japanese cuisine.'”
SHICHIKEN Mori no kanade matured in the Hakushu cask Sparkling-sake
サントリー白州蒸溜所のウイスキ一樽で日本酒を熟成させた後、瓶内二次発酵させたスパークリング日本酒。「爽快で飲みやすく、樽のウッディさやバニラ香が融合した唯一無二の味わいです」
A sparkling sake that was aged in a whisky barrel from Suntory’s Hakushu Distillery and then underwent secondary fermentation in the bottle. “It’s refreshing and easy to drink, with a unique flavor that combines the woody and vanilla notes from the barrel.”
米の樽焼酎の原酒をそのまま瓶詰めし、長期間の熟成により琥珀色に変化。酒税法の規制でリキュール扱いとなる一品。もはや焼酎の味わいを超えて、バーボンウイスキーのような重みと深みをもつ。
The original rice barrel shochu liquor is bottled as it is and aged for a long time to turn amber in color. This product is treated as a liqueur under the regulations of the Liquor Tax Law. It no longer has the taste of shochu, but has the richness and depth of bourbon whiskey.
TAMAGAWA JUNMAI YAMAHAI NON-FILTER NAMA-GENSHU
2017年のヴィンテージ。杜氏はイギリス出身のフィリップ・ハーパーさん。酵母無添加の自然仕込みの山廃純米を常温で熟成させる。約70°Cの高い温度で燗をつけることでコクと香ばしさに優しさが加わって、力強い味わいがグッと引き立つ。
Vintage 2017. The toji is Philip Harper from England. Yamahai Junmai is naturally brewed with no added yeast and aged at room temperature. Warming at a high temperature of about 70°C (70°F) adds tenderness to the richness and aroma and brings out the powerful flavor.
フレンチの巨匠、アラン・デュカスが日本酒蔵と手を組むと？
SHICHIKEN Alain Ducasse Sustainable Spirit
山梨・白州の日本酒蔵「山梨銘醸」と、世界的シェフ、アラン・デュカスさんがコラボしたスピリッツ「アラン・デュカス・サステナブル・スピリッツ」が2023年12月に発売された。「アラン・デュカス スパークリング サケ」に続く、両者の共創の第2弾だ。
日本酒の副産物である酒粕のアルコール分を蒸溜した焼酎を、同じ白州の「サントリー白州蒸溜所」の樽で熟成することで、華やかな吟醸香とまろやかな熟成感を併せもつ蒸溜酒に。さらに米の栄養が凝縮された蒸溜後の酒粕は甲州和牛の飼料に、その堆肥を米づくりに活用する循環型エコシステムも確立する。
ロックやソーダ割りのほかカクテルにも。商品サイトでは、アラン・デュカスのソムリエによる10種類のオリジナルカクテルレシピも公開している。
When French Maestro Alain Ducasse collaborates with a Japanese Sake Brewery?
In December 2023, Yamanashi Meijo, a sake brewery in Hakushu, Yamanashi, collaborated with world-renowned chef Alain Ducasse to release a spirit called “Alain Ducasse Sustainable Spirits”. This is the second collaborative creation between the two, following their “Alain Ducasse Sparkling Sake”.
The spirit is made by distilling shochu from sake lees, a byproduct of sake production, and then aging it in barrels at the Suntory Hakushu Distillery, also located in Hakushu. This process results in a distilled spirit that combines a vibrant ginjo aroma with a smooth, mature flavor. Furthermore, the sake lees left after distillation, which contain concentrated rice nutrients, are used as feed for Koshu Wagyu cattle. The manure from these cattle is then utilized in rice cultivation, establishing a circular eco-system.
On the rocks or with soda, as well as in cocktails. The product website also offers 10 original cocktail recipes created by Alain Ducasse’s sommelier.
スパイス旋風、焼酎にも来たる
スパイスカレーをきっかけに、フードシーンを賑わせているスパイス。そのブームは酒の分野にも波及し、スパイス焼酎が金ね相次いで登場している。
その一つが「CARDAMON Take 7」だ。有機農法米で球磨焼酎を造る熊本県の「豊永酒造」がカレー店のリクエストに応えて開発。ベースとなる米焼酎をスパイス焼酎の仕込み専用に蒸溜し、7回の試作を重ねて完成させた。炭酸割りで味わえば、華やかで鮮烈な香りが身を抜ける。
カレーのほか焼鳥や鰻とも好相性。炭酸水で4～5倍に割ったり、レモンを搾ったり、コーラやノンアルコールビールで割るなどアレンジも楽しめる。
Spice trend is also coming to shochu
The spice trend, which has been enlivening the food scene starting with spicy curry, is now spilling over into the alcohol sector, with spiced shochu making successive appearances.
One such product is “CARDAMOM Take 7.” It was developed by Toyonaga Distillery in Kumamoto Prefecture, known for making Kuma shochu with organic rice, in response to a request from a curry restaurant. The base rice shochu was distilled specifically for spiced shochu production, and the final product was perfected after seven trial batches. When mixed with soda water, its vibrant and intense aroma is invigorating.
It pairs well not only with curry but also with yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and eel. You can enjoy it in various ways: diluted 4-5 times with soda water, squeezed with lemon, or mixed with cola or non-alcoholic beer.
SABUROMARU Ⅲ The Empress Shingle Malt
富山県砺波市にある「若鶴酒造」の5代目・稲垣貴彦さんが、曽祖父がはじめたウィスキー造りを引き継いで2017年に改修オープンした「三郎丸蒸留所」。同県の高岡市に伝わる高岡銅器の技術を活用した世界初の鋳造製ポットスチル「ZEMON」や、南砺市井波地区の木工技術を活用したミズナラ樽「三四郎樽」など、地元企業とコラボレーションしながら、伝統技術をウイスキー造りに生かした画期的な開発を行うことで現在注目を集めている。
2022年には、「T&T TOYAMA」プロジェクトを開始。日本のクラフトウイスキー蒸溜所の原酒を買い取り熟成、販売まで行う事業などを通して、小規模蒸溜所の成立を後押し。日本のウイスキーの多様性ある発展を目指している。
高岡銅器の梵鐘（ぼんしょう）の技術を活用した世界初の鋳造製ポットスチル「ZEMON」。高い蓄熱性で燃料消費量を従来の約半分に削減
ミズナラは”ジャパニーズオーグ”として熟成に重宝されるが、林業では伝染病が問題に。ミズナラ樽は林業や木工業の存続にもひと役買
2020年に蒸溜されたシングルモルトウイスキー。スコットランド・アイラ島のピートで燻された麦芽で仕込んだ、海を感じさせる潮気や柔らかさが特徴。
Takahiko Inagaki, the 5th generation owner of “Wakatsuru Sake Brewery” in Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture, inherited the whisky-making tradition started by his great-grandfather and reopened the renovated “Saburomaru Distillery” in 2017. The distillery is currently gaining attention for its groundbreaking developments that incorporate traditional techniques into whisky production through collaborations with local companies. These include the world’s first cast pot still “ZEMON,” which utilizes the copper casting technology from Takaoka City in the same prefecture, and the mizunara oak cask “Sanshiro Barrel,” which employs woodworking techniques from the Inami district of Nanto City.
In 2022, they launched the “T&T TOYAMA” project. Through initiatives such as purchasing, aging, and selling new make spirits from Japanese craft whisky distilleries, they are supporting the establishment of small-scale distilleries and aiming for diverse development of Japanese whisky.
The “ZEMON” is the world’s first cast pot still that utilizes the temple bell (bonshō) casting technology of Takaoka copperware. Its high heat retention capacity reduces fuel consumption by about half compared to conventional stills.
Mizunara oak is prized as “Japanese oak” for whisky maturation, but the forestry industry faces issues with tree diseases. The mizunara casks also play a role in sustaining the forestry and woodworking industries.
A single malt whisky distilled in 2020. It is characterized by its briny notes and softness, reminiscent of the sea, made from malted barley smoked with peat from Scotland’s Islay.
