This was a ground-breaking sake in 1975. At a time when sake culture was firmly focused on sake made from a polishing ratio of 60% or above, this sake suddenly emerged on the scene with a polishing ratio of a previously unheard of 40% and a flavour profile firmly focused on an elegant, clean but vibrant style.
At the time of its introduction to Japanese sake drinkers it was the most expensive sake on the market, Kokuryu had taken a huge risk but Ryu’s popularity in Japan soon began to shape a new direction for sake drinkers and changed the fortunes of Kokuryu forever. The Daiginjo category of sake in Japan was born through the efforts of launching Ryu Daiginjo onto the market.
This sake has a gently aromatic scent of nashi pear, cherry, candied fruit, white blossom with an edge of rose petal, combined with a palate of fruity spiciness, bitter orange and velvet. The mouthfeel of this sake is clean and pure, and this feature is often remarked upon by new converts to the Daiginjo style. Key descriptors would be light, refined, clean and crisp.
When it was first launched Ryu Daiginjo labels were made with the fukuro or filtering bags cut up and imprinted with gold stamp branding. As the popularity of the sake soared it became obvious that using filtering bags for labels was impractical, so the brewery arranged for Fukui label specialists in Echizen ori to design and weave the prestige labels which are now applied to the bottles. The key element remains the golden characters of RYU which is where we derive the name GOLD Dragon.
- Brewery: KOKURYU
- Region: Fukui
- Classification: Daiginjo
- %ALC/VOL: 15%
- Net Volume: 720ml; 1.8L
- Rice: Yamadanishiki
- Rice Polishing Ratio: 40%
- SMV (Sake Meter Value): +6
- Serve: Cold | Chilled
- Matching Food: Seafood - lobster, prawns, crab
Heigo Australia is Australia's official importer and distributor of Kokuryu Sake.