Kokoro Junmai Namagenshu

Ōta Shuzō was founded in 1847 in Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture, on the old Tokaido trade route between Tokyo and Kyoto. The owner is a descendant of Ōta Dōkan, the famous samurai who built Edo Castle — the present Imperial Palace. The brewery sources Tamazakae rice grown in Shiga Prefecture and brews on a philosophy of local production and local consumption. Kokoro — meaning ‘heart’ — is their signature expression: a Junmai Namagenshu, meaning it is pure rice sake (no added alcohol), unpasteurised (nama), and undiluted (genshu), bottled at full fermentation strength. The result is a big, vivacious sake with nutmeg, white pepper, banana, and Italian plum jam on the nose, leading to a full-bodied, round palate loaded with umami, deep rice character, and earthiness. Unlike most sake, Kokoro can be enjoyed at any temperature — cold, room temperature, or gently warmed.