[A957] Suiryu Junmai Daiginjo 睡龍 純米大吟醸 久保本家酒造 奈良県 30BY(2018) 1800ml

30BY(2018) Junmai Daiginjou

Rice polishing rate: 40%

Suiryu is born from the integration of complete fermentation and long-term aging. Among its lineup, this particular Junmai Daiginjo is truly exceptional, possessing characteristics entirely different from its Junmai or Junmai Ginjo.

When young, it has a sharp, almost unapproachable edge, like a raw, unrefined axe. At first, we couldn't understand why Kubohonka Shuzo went out of their way to brew a Junmai Daiginjo like this. However, as we let it mature over time, we gradually began to see why.

This transformation can be compared to the sharpening of a traditional Japanese kitchen knife. Upon release, it is like a blade sharpened with a coarse whetstone. After about five years, it evolves as if honed with a medium whetstone, and after a few more years, it reaches the state of being finished with a fine whetstone. In other words, it achieves a terrifying sharpness, yet the cut becomes incredibly smooth and calm.

With absolutely none of the flashy aromas of banana or melon, this is a Junmai Daiginjo at the farthest reaches of the craft—boldly yet delicately drawing out the true umami and roundness of the rice.

(Now, coming back to where we started, why did Kubohonka Shuzo release it in such a raw, unrefined state? Especially when their other cuvées are typically released only after being polished and perfected over many long years...? While that mystery remains unsolved, let us taste this beautifully aged Junmai Daiginjo first, and then revisit a younger bottle. Surely, we will discover the answer.)

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Kimoto Method

Kimoto is a traditional brewing method featuring 'Yama-oroshi'—a labor-intensive process where brewers manually mash steamed rice and koji into a paste using wooden poles. This traditional technique fosters natural, wild lactic acid bacteria, yielding a sake with a robust, deeply layered umami and a crisp acidity.

Dragon Legends

People in Chinese culture really love dragons. In China, dragons are revered as sacred symbols of power, good fortune, and the emperor, embodying benevolence as masters of rain and water. This influence reached Japan through Tang dynasty envoys during the Nara period, forming the foundation of dragon deity worship. Nara is truly the heartland. Particularly around Uda City’s Murou district—near Kubohonke Shuzō—abundant dragon legends, sacred sites, and spiritual power spots exist, with rain-prayer rituals still performed today. 

Meanwhile, in Japan, long before dragon deity worship was transmitted from the Tang dynasty, the Ōmononushi no Kami had been venerated as the serpent god, water god, and thunder god at Ōmiwa Shrine on Mount Miwa. We will set aside a separate occasion later to explain this clearly and simply.

Among the various dragon legends, “Suiryū” means “sleeping dragon,” symbolizing sealing and protection. Kubohonke Shuzō’s “Suiryū” (“Sleeping Dragon”) evokes a dragon awakening from deep slumber, symbolizing sake that reveals its true character through patient maturation. Far from flashy youth, this is sake that grows richer and deeper with time.

This slender, ribbon-like paper label, spiraled around the bottle, is a stylized design of a dragon—and it’s a registered trademark of Kubohonke Shuzō.

>>>Read about Dragon Legends at the News Archive

>>>Read more about history of Nara and Suiryu at the News Archive