Masamune Daruma

The company associated with the Daruma Masamune brand (managed by the Shiraki family) has historical roots in the 19th century; the official page states a foundation in the Tenpō period (year 1835). From the late 1960s and particularly during the 1970s the brewery directed its production toward ko-shu (aged sake), developing a range of vintages and time-referenced releases that include years such as 1979.

Focus on valuing time and maturation: the house favors slow aging to obtain rice wines (sake) with deep nuances, emphasizing the quality of raw materials and controlled maturation conditions.

Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The water for production comes from local aquifers/tributaries connected to the Nagara River system (noted local spring water / Mugi).

IWC (International Wine Challenge) Gold Medal 2008 in the aged sake category for the Vintage 1979.

Traditional sake production: fermentation of rice (with rice, water, koji and yeast) followed by a controlled maturation phase (ko-shu). For aged products, maturation is carried out at ambient cellar temperature with stabilization of temperature excursions.

Slow maturation typical of ko-shu: ambient cellar/bottle aging with control of temperature fluctuations to promote development of color and aromatic complexity.