Tasting Notes
It’s no surprise really that Ota Shuzo who are making some seriously impressive sake are also going to make a great umeshu! This Dokan Umeshu was made by infusing a 1 year old sake with ao-ume [green ume] and korizato [‘ice sugar’ or rock sugar] for about 6 months or so and then bottle aged until release, giving this umeshu a depth of flavour often not seen in other brands. Most of the ume used are the Nankobai variety sourced from Wakayama Prefecture along with some Fukui ume from Fukui Prefecture. Both of these prefectures are famous for their ume varieties with Nankobai and Fukui Ume being the most sought after for making beautifully flavoured umeshu. The Ota Umeshu is completely additive free with no additional colour, aromas, flavours or acids added, and relies purely on great ingredients and technique. Ota are comparatively conservative with the sugar they add to their umeshu as they want to achieve a drink that has the deliciously tart Ume flavours balanced by moderate sweetness. The flavour is enhanced by beautiful sweet marzipan & stewed fruit aromas. - Importer Note
Shiga prefecture is in the centre of the Japanese Archipelago and is known as ‘Lake Country’ due to one-sixth of it’s total area being Japan’s largest lake, the beautiful Lake Biwa. Lake Biwa is 670 km2, which means that it is bigger than the famous Awaji Island [which is about the same size of Singapore, and has a population of over 150,000 people]. Lake Biwa is surrounded by very fertile plains and beautiful mountain ranges and two of it’s most well known neighbours are the prefectures of Kyōto and Nara.
Ota Shuzo was created by the ancestors of the 15th century Samurai warrior-poet and military tactician Sukenaga Ota (1432-1486). When Sukenaga Ota also became a Buddhist monk he adopted the Buddhist name Dokan, by which he is commonly referred to as today. The current Ota family can trace their ancestry all the way back to this warrior who was also the architect and orchestrator behind the building of Edo Castle in 1457 [today’s Imperial Palace] in what is now known as Tokyo.
Ordered by Iemitsu Tokugawa [1604-1651] the third Tokugawa Shogunate [reigning feudal power during the Edo period] to protect the Tokaido High Road, the Ota family moved to Kusatsu in Omi province [now Shiga] where the family eventually began brewing Sake. The Ota family has continued to produce Sake which receives nationwide acclaim in Japan, naming the product "Dokan" after their famous ancestor. - Importer Note
| Product Type | Wine Sake |
| Volume | 720ml |
| Country | Japan |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Minimal Intervention |