TYKU Tokubetsu Benihana Sake

TYKU Tokubetsu Benihana Sake

TYKU is a premium sake brand and one of the fastest-growing in the US. It is handcrafted in Umenoyado Brewery in "The Birthplace of Sake", Nara, Japan. The brewery has won the prestigious Japanese sake competition Zenkoku Shinshi Kanpyo Kai 10 times. The Umenoyado Brewery has been overseen by the Yoshida Family for 5 generations and is currently ran by Kayo Yoshida, the first female brewery owner in Nara. The iron-free and soft pure water is sourced from the underground springs and the production of sake is natural, using only 4 simple ingredients: non-GMO rice, water, yeast, and koji, a mold that is used for breaking down starches into sugars. Sake is mainly produced using traditional methods and TYKU is no different. First, the residual powder, left over from polishing the rice, is washed off. The rice is then steamed, before being sprinkled with koji mold and yeast and left to ferment. The liquid then gets pressed from the mixture and gets filtered. After pasteurization, the sake is matured in barrels for around 3 weeks before finally being bottled. The special edition Tokubetsu Benihana Sake was created in partnership with the American Benihana restaurant company and is a Tokubetsu Junmai. Junmai is a premium sake where 30% or more of the rice is polished off. A special blend of sake rice is used along with ultra-purified water, making for an exceptionally smooth and subtle sake that is meant to be enjoyed chilled and with a wide variety of cuisines.