{"product_id":"kita-no-nishiki-kuragakoi-kanjuku-hizo-junmai-720ml","title":"Kita No Nishiki Kuragakoi Kanjuku Hizo Junmai 720ml","description":"\u003cp data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003eFounded in 1878, Kobayashi Shuzo began with a rather ambitious mission: to help encourage rice cultivation in the then-underdeveloped northern reaches of Hokkaido. Situated along the magnificent Yubari River, the brewery has spent nearly 150 years proving that Japan’s frozen north can produce some seriously compelling sake.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut this particular bottle has a story that goes a little deeper. Literally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInspired by Hokkaido’s coal-mining heritage, this Junmai is matured underground in an abandoned coal mine. It sounds like something pulled from local folklore—a forgotten bottle of sake hidden deep inside a mine, only to be rediscovered years later—but there’s actually some very clever science behind the romance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeep underground, the old mine tunnels remain naturally dark and remarkably stable, hovering around 57–59°F throughout the year. No sunlight, no UV exposure and, most importantly, none of the dramatic seasonal temperature swings that can make long-term sake aging rather tricky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo down into the darkness the sake goes, where it can rest quietly and mature at its own pace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade from Hokkaido-grown Kitashizuku rice, polished to 65%, this Junmai develops into a richer, rounder expression of sake. Time softens the sharper edges while encouraging deeper, more savory and earthy characteristics, along with the mellow complexity associated with Koshu, or aged sake.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt 16–18% ABV with an SMV of -5, there’s some richness here too—a slightly sweeter, fuller personality that plays beautifully against the depth created by aging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s part sake, part Hokkaido history, and part underground science experiment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd apparently, some treasures really are better left buried for a while.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Community Wine and Spirits","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45944622448709,"sku":null,"price":56.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0637\/4064\/1349\/files\/7d154c35-33e8-46df-9d8c-2eb2bceea2fe.png?v=1791330697","url":"https:\/\/communitywineandspirits.com\/products\/kita-no-nishiki-kuragakoi-kanjuku-hizo-junmai-720ml","provider":"Community Wine and Spirits","version":"1.0","type":"link"}