Hananomai Sake

Jun-Mai-Ginjo
15-16% alcohol

From the bottlenotes:

HANANOMAI ("Dance of the Flowers") has been brewing the masterpiece of sake using only purest water from Mt. Fuji and the best quality rice in Shizuoka Prefecture since 1664. Enjoy the dry, smooth taste of handcrafted HANANOMAI SAKE, Jun-Mai-Ginjo.

Night One

The nose is all florals and tropical fruit, soft and lovely. Bananas and mangos are the leading fruit, magnolias the flowers. There is also grain, but in the background.

The wine is a little thick on the palate. Banana and flowers, more lilac than magnolia, plus some diesel give a grain version of Reisling. The finish is smoky and long.

Night Two

The nose is a little grainier on night two but bananas are still in the forefront. Mangos have a stronger presence. The florals are not as prominent.

It is still viscous on the palate, still dominated by tropical fruit. Diesel is also there, and a grain and smoke finish.

I have no expertise in sake beyond the usual warmed-up crap I tried once in a Japanese restaurant. This is as far from that as a decent Bordeaux is from your first sip of Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill. Chilled, it was delightful with sushi and sashimi, particularly with a lot of wasabi.