Hitogogochi rice (Nagano, Japan), koji rice (Japan)
Store in a cool place.
Founded in 1906, the House of Usui produces sakes that are particularly appreciated by connoisseurs. The sakes are brewed and produced in Ômachi, a town in Japan's Nagano region that is steeped in history and symbolism. At the foot of the Hida Mountains, it is an estate of the Heian-era Ise shrine (8th-12th century), considered in Japan to be a gift from the deities, with conditions perfectly suited to sake brewing: abundant pure groundwater, a climate ideally suited to rice cultivation, and local know-how stemming from a long ancestral tradition. The rice varieties (miyama-nishiki and hitogokochi) come exclusively from the region, so these sakes reflect both the benefits of the local climate and the personality of the tôji masters. The brewers at Usui have taken it to heart to create tasty beverages that reflect the full depth of this terroir.