Established in 1897, Kikuisami Brewery is a stalwart of the sake world tucked away in the picturesque Sakata City of Yamagata Prefecture. In 1973, it merged with two other local breweries and consolidated its sake production across 4 factories.

The brewery is built south of the majestic Chokai Mountain, overlooking the Mogami River and Shonai Plain, and it’s a location that offers more than just scenic beauty. The pristine air and abundant underground water is said to provide an ideal environment for brewing exceptionally refined sake. Chrysanthemums are revered in Japanese culture. The name Kikuisami is a poetic blend of "Kiku" (chrysanthemum, 菊) and "-isami" (boldness, 勇) which encapsulates the brewery's aspiration to produce sake that is both as vibrant and robust as these flowers.

Central to their brewing process is the use of medium-hard water sourced from their own well, which originates from Mount Gassan fed by the Akagawa River's subsoil flow. The optimal balance of minerals, particularly potassium and magnesium, are crucial for healthy yeast proliferation and supports a well-controlled fermentation without leading to off-flavours. The brewery also exclusively uses locally sourced rice, ensuring the freshest grains for their brews.

The most successful brand of sake produced by Kikuisami Brewery is the 36 Guardians (三十六人衆) brand of premium sake.

The sake range pays homage to a Yamagata Prefecture legend. The story tells of 36 courageous men who, in the aftermath of the warlord Minamoto no Yoritomo's conquest of the Oshu region in the northeast of Japan, protected a princess of the defeated clan as they fled south. These men crossed the treacherous Dewa mountains and settled in the Yamagata region, eventually establishing the Free City of Sakata. Their leadership and entrepreneurial spirit helped transform Sakata into one of the wealthiest thriving port cities in medieval Japan.

Interestingly, some English translations suggest these 36 men were samurai or warriors, but they were more likely just influential merchants. That said, a ruler later granted these merchants samurai-like privileges, including the right to bear swords and exemption from taxes, which may have led to the misconception of their samurai status.

The 36 Guardians sake has consistently garnered high praise and numerous gold medals at prestigious wine competitions. Kikuisami Brewery attributes the success of its 36 Guardians range not just to the pristine water and local rice, but also to the labour-intensive futakōji-zukuri process which it meticulously employs for every single sake expression.

This method involves culturing kōji mold on rice on numerous small bamboo trays, rather than on large batches of rice a big temperature-controlled room as is common in modern sake brewing. The brewer has to manually fill, monitor, and handle each tray, ensuring optimal conditions for the mold's growth over a painstaking 48-hour period. This includes rotating or fanning the trays, or manually mixing or fluffing the rice to ensure even distribution of the mold. While demanding, futakōji-zukuri allows for greater control over temperature and humidity, resulting in kōji that produces a more nuanced and complex flavour profile.

President Sato Takehiro and the team at Kikuisami Brewery.

Despite its premium branding, 36 Guardians sake is positioned as a versatile "daily sake", suitable for both casual drinking and pairing with a wide variety of foods. The sake itself should have a slightly longer finish, and it is designed to retain its flavours even when warmed, which further showcases the intended versatility.

I recently had the pleasure of attending Sake Matsuri in Singapore, where I sampled a range of sakes from the 36 Guardians brand exhibited by Inter Rice Asia, from the entry range 36 Guardians Junmai So-ten, to the premium Junmai Daiginjo Sui-ten. The brewery also produces a umeshu expression as well as a shochu distilled from the lees (leftover solids) of daiginjo sake production, which I happily include in this review.

36 Guardians Junmai So-ten Sake – Review

65% rice polishing ratio, Dewanosato 

Nose: Fruity and slightly nutty. Opens with familiar notes of green mung bean mochi and peachy fruitiness. Swirling the glass reveals savoury undercurrent of shoyu sauce.

Palate: Light and delicate texture. It’s got a surprisingly savoury character reminiscent of toasted seaweed soy sauce rice crackers. Notes of jasmine rice intertwined with a refreshing spritz of lemon peel.

Finish: Continued notes of savory rice along with the umami and earthiness of white button mushrooms.

My Thoughts:

This Junmai So-ten is rather subtle and delicate from its texture to its flavour profile. Its refined nature kinda reminds me of premium mineral water – very balanced and pure.

This would make for a great accompaniment to light, umami Japanese dishes. I believe warming this sake would also help bring out a more robust palette of flavours.

36 Guardians Daiginjo Hi-ten – Review

35% rice polishing ratio, Yamadanishiki

Nose: Very floral and fruity, with a distinct presence of melon and peach intermingling with a subtle hint of rice flour.

Palate: Initial notes are reminiscent of a sweet confectionery, evoking memories of sugar and peach cream. It’s got a refreshing lactic acidity, akin to a faint yoghurt along with a spritz of lemon which adds a pleasant tanginess as a counterpoint to the sweetness.

Finish: Surprisingly layered on the finish, transitioning from the initial sweetness to a spectrum of pineapple flavours - both the green, sour notes of underripe fruit and the full sweetness of ripe pineapples. There’s a subtle salinity and minerality that lingers on the palate too.

My Thoughts:

This Daiginjo Hi-ten delivers a more pronounced flavour profile compared to the So-ten, while still maintaining a very delicate and approachable bright furity character. This makes for a refreshing and lightly sweet Daiginjo sake great for casual drinking on a hot summer day.

36 Guardians Junmai Daiginjo Sui-ten – Review

50% rice polishing ratio, Yamadanishiki

Nose: Rather savoury, ricey aromas once again. Pleasant sweet rice porridge and rice bran notes followed by a mild nuttiness of brown rice. A layer of fresh, sweet green cantaloupe, white peaches, with sweetness intensifying as the sake gently warms in the glass.

Palate: Echoes the sweet peach cream notes of the Hi-Ten, but with a much more pronounced savoury and mushroomy character. Stewed mushrooms in a sukiyaki broth come to mind, intertwined with more subtle stone fruit flavours.

Finish: Pleasant notes of glutinous rice flour, akin to plain toasted dango. A touch more tropical in the finish here, with fleshy ripe mangoes.

My Thoughts:

The sakes appear to steadily increase in fruit intensity and complexity – it's a delightful progression! This Sui-ten continues to exhibit classic savoury notes I’ve found in the previous expressions, but now balanced beautifully with the tropical fruit aromas.

This one’s a very versatile expression – it’s flavourful enough to be enjoyed on its own, but it’s light and refreshing enough to pair well with a range of Asian dishes and even desserts at the dining table.

36 Guardians Junmai Extra Dry Gyo-ten – Review

60% rice polishing ratio, Miyamanishiki

Nose: Playful and full of summer berries. Raspberry candy and honeydew melon greet the nose, layered with a savoury undercurrent of rice bran. Swirling intensifies the red fruit notes, offering up some freshly sliced strawberries.

Palate: A fascinating juxtaposition of fleshy berries, stripped of their sweetness, and a distinctly savoury rice character. It’s fruity but without a sugary punch, akin to strawberries steeped in gin. A zingy lemon zest note adds a lively dimension, while the continued presence of steamed brown rice reinforces the savoury backbone.

Finish: Quick and very subtle, bringing to mind a lightly seasoned seaweed soup, more coastal and savoury than overtly salty. Rounded off by more familiar notes of steamed rice in the late aftertaste.

My Thoughts:

I find this really intriguing. It appears to toe a very fine line between showing bright summer fruits and warm savoury rice elements, without fully committing to either side. A solid Junmai sake, though I would find this even more memorable if the palate was bolder in showcasing more playful character as the nose.

36 Guardians Daiginjo Sake Lees Shochu Haku-u – Review

Nose: Rather peculiar. It’s slightly feinty at first, opening with notes of nail polish gradually unfolding notes of banana cake that take over the nose. Swirling the spirit reveals even more notes of cooked banana intermingled with canned peaches.

Palate: Canned fruits take a fresh turn on the palate, showcasing the bright taste of mild Cavendish bananas complemented by hints of melons and Saturn peaches. A subtle dry zestiness of lemon peel and white pepper emerges.

Finish: Fruity notes recede, though we have continued notes of white pepper and dry lemon peels along with an interesting earthy-umami character of king oyster mushrooms and savoury shoyu sauce.

My Thoughts:

This shochu presents a very bold aromatic profile and rather unusual earthy finish. On the palate, however, I find the flavours surprisingly delicate and muted. While it does have some pleasant banana sweetness, the dryness and heat may be better moderated by soda in a chu-hi.

36 Guardians Obaka Umeshu Haruhime – Review

Nose: Intense ripe plum notes take centre stage, paired with a mild nuttiness and a pleasant, mature depth of aged wood notes.

Palate: Sour leaning, though pretty balanced. A mix of green apples and sour plum tartness greet the palate, turning to a light syrupy sweetness that doesn’t ever get cloying. Straightforward but pretty well-balanced, allowing the natural fruit flavours to shine through.

Finish: Rather fleeting, with gently receding notes of green plums and a light, puckering sensation that invites another sip.

My Thoughts:

This umeshu pleasantly subverts expectations. My fear has always been overly sweet, overly cloying umeshu, but this is far more balanced and nuanced on the palate than its initial bold aroma suggests. It also allows much of the natural fruitiness of the ume to speak for itself. Overall a lovely delicate expression of a umeshu. 

Final Thoughts on 36 Guardians

Kikuisami Brewery’s 36 Guardians lineup certainly stays true to the brand’s vision of creating versatile, “daily sakes”, especially when considering how approachable the Junmai So-ten and Hi-ten have been, both expressions would have their place at the dining table. I also enjoyed the steady progression in fullness and complexity as we progress along the line of sakes, culminating in my favourite of the range that is the Junmai Daiginjo Sui-ten, which has a very enjoyable balance of savoury and tropical notes that makes it incredibly versatile whether as a pairing sake or just one to be enjoyed on its own. Overall, the consistent focus on flavour clarity and a light umami profile makes all of their sakes excellent for food pairings.

Beyond sakes, the unexpected highlight has been the Obaka Umeshu Haruhime. It's got a very delightful balance of sour and sweet, without the cloying finish of many umeshus.

@CharsiuCharlie