There's sake, the quiet, unassuming drink.
Then there's sake with bling.
Open a gold-sealed Kamotsuru Tokusei Kinpaku sake, and out whirl two tiny Japanese cherry blossoms, cut and pressed from gold leaf. (The edible gold is flavorless.)
Kamotsuru, we learned from
True Sake, is made from rice polished down to half-sized gems for a more elegant flavor. We found the fragrance of strawberries and a hint of banana compelling. We decided that the sipping was luxuriously silky. A gentle mineral taste quickly gave way to reveal red cherries and a tease of tartness. The finish was clean, and vanished without a trace.
Serve chilled. Two of us paired it with braised duck and wild mushrooms. Our sweet-toothed chef tasted a small glass with white layer cake and fresh berries. It enhanced all.
With gold for two small cups, Kamotsuru makes a great gift. And at $10, it's extravagance you can afford.
Bling for joy at
True Sake.