A perfect gift to your loved ones or as a reward to yourself
Red and white walk hand-in-hand all the time especially when it comes to food. Red and white wine, Pizza Rosso and Bianca, Chinese yin-yang fried rice, red-fleshed and white-fleshed grapefruits… But this red & white colour scheme has a deeper meaning for the Japanese people. Red and White in Japan is the synonym of auspicious occasions. It can be a wedding, the born of a baby, promotion at work, coming of age… they will have "Kouhaku Manjuu" (one red and one white steamed rice cake filled with azuki beans paste) and/ or "Sekihan" (steamed glutinous rice with azuki beans) to celebrate the joyful occasions. "Kouhaku Mizuhiki" (red and white paper strings made of traditional Japanese paper) is used as gift wrapping ornaments on celebratory occasions.
Here in SAKE ONLINE, we provide you more than just carefully selected sakes, but also a bit of the Japanese culture and sake trivia. You have been working so hard this year, so we invite you to celebrate this holiday season with our premium sake set…
We have done the calculation for you. One Akabako (The red box) worths of $158.00 and one Shirobako (The white box) worths of $85.00, which means you save up to $43.20 if you get them both! So you can get another bottle of sake *nudge*
The Maboroshi (a fantasy or dazzler) Series of the brand Seikyo, by Nakao Sake Brewery
Nakao Sake Brewery situated in Takehara, Hiroshima Prefecture. The excellent quality of the subsoil water of Kamo River, together with the original "apple yeast" (extracted from the apple skin) and the "high temperature saccharification method" contributed to the refined fruity, refreshing flavour and aroma of their sakes. We can assure you would not get any other sake with the same or even similar taste.
So what exactly are the differences and how do they differ in taste?
Red: Akabako
This "Splendid Red" is a junmai daiginjo sake, which means premium pure rice sake. It has won First Prize at the National Competition of New Sake in 1948 and was selected the official sake used by The Imperial House of Japan for New Year celebration and rituals for the following 3 years. It has also been selected the Sake for The First Class on flights to the United States operated by JAL (2005, 2006) and ANA (2001, 2002) for several years. What is more, this premium sake is sold only in spring and autumn in the northern hemisphere (so it would be around March – May and September – November)! So please feel very privileged while sipping! You can store the unopened bottle in a cool, dry place and the flavour will just get mellower even after 5 years.
Maboroshi Akabako smells fruity just like an apple, but not quite sweet. It has a smooth, rich and complex body with a clean finish that leans on the dry side.
Best serving temperature: 5 – 15'C.
Recommended dishes: dishes that are not too strong, eg most seafood like white-fleshed fish, scallop and oyster; salad, tempura, white sauce based dishes and fish casserole
White: Shirobako
This "Gorgeous White" is a daiginjo sake, so jyouzou alcohol (brewer's alcohol) is added to the very high quality sake. Born in 1978, Akabako's "little bro" was awarded First Place in the Sake Competition of the Hiroshima Local Taxation Bureau in the Junmai category. According to Nakao Brewery, shirobako is the most popular sake among all products because anyone can enjoy this outstanding sake at a relatively reasonable price.
Maboroshi Shirobako is about good balance of aromas and flavours. The sweet, fruity apple-like aroma is somewhat similar to Akabako. It is smooth and refreshing, with a pleasant, slightly tart aftertaste. Generally speaking, since it is a little lighter, softer and not as dry as Akabako, it's easier to drink.
Best serving temperature: 10 – 20'C.
Recommended dishes: again, please have it with dishes that are not too strong, eg most seafood like white-fleshed fish, scallop and oyster; salad, white sauce based dishes, cheese, and fish casserole
** Hurry! Limited to 10 sets.
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Thank you so much for your support in 2011.
Arigatougozaimashita!
We wish you a safe and merry Christmas, and a spectacular year ahead.
Kanpai!
