AWARD : SAKE
SHICHIKEN Hakushin
七賢 白心
Junmai-Daiginjo
Specifications
- Ingredient
- Yumesansui
- Country
- Japan
- Region
- Yamanashi
- Rice polishing
- 27%
- ABV
- 16%
- Volume
- 750 ml
Hakushu-grown Yumeyamasui polished to 27%, then a year at ice temperature. Quiet time builds clarity and roundness.
Polished to 27%, then a year of ice-temperature ageing
This sake uses 100% Yumeyamasui, a rice grown for sake-brewing in Hakushu, polished down to 27%. After brewing with subsoil water from Mount Kaikomagatake, it is aged for one year at an ice temperature of −5°C. This slows oxidation and flavour change, quietly smoothing the rough edges of a young sake.
ABV is 16%, in a 750ml bottle. This junmai daiginjo is released once a year. It carries a density reminiscent of an undiluted genshu, while the combination of polishing and ice-temperature ageing draws it toward a clear, refined contour.
White peach and melon, a clear finish
A delicate aroma recalls white peach, muskmelon, pear and apple blossom. The texture is smooth as silk, and a gentle rice sweetness spreads quietly. A clean minerality lingers on the finish, carrying into a long aftertaste.
The white peach and apple-blossom aroma stays delicate from first pour to long finish.
The water of Hakushu, and the Shichiken name carried forward
Yamanashi Meijo was founded in 1750 in Daigahara, Hakushu-cho, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture. The brewery draws its brewing water from the subsoil flow of Mount Kaikomagatake in the Southern Alps, and gentle fermentation shapes a soft, clear character in its sake.
The name “Shichiken” comes from a transom carving of the “Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove,” presented in 1835 by the lord of Takato Castle. In 1880, the brewery’s main house served as a lodging for Emperor Meiji during his travels. Carrying forward this historic building and its water, the brewery has since broadened its range to include junmai sake, bottle-fermented sparkling sake, and spirits distilled from its own sake lees.
Verified international recognition
Listed only where the official Kura Master record and the designated consolidated report match this exact product name. Other labels and variants are excluded, and IWC’s Commended distinction is not treated as a medal.
A clear finish that stands guard over delicate food
The brewery does not publish an official food pairing for this sake. IWC (International Wine Challenge) judges’ tasting notes, however, do record confirmed pairing mentions. Alongside the aromas and taste structure that can be confirmed — a delicate aroma recalling white peach, muskmelon, pear and apple blossom, a texture smooth as silk, and a clean minerality that lingers into a long finish — four directions follow.
IWC judges’ comments note an affinity with lobster, white truffle risotto and roquefort cheese. This is not an official recommendation from the brewery, but an evaluation by judges at an international competition. Hakushin’s value lies not in standing up to chilli heat, but in not overwhelming the sweetness, umami and aroma of delicate ingredients, so strongly spiced dishes are best avoided.
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