Sendai Isawa Family Katsuyama Sake Brewery: SAMURAI SAKE: Reviving a 300-Year-Old Recipe

“RYOAN LEGEND 2012 Junmai Daiginjo-DOUBLE UMAMI FINISH - Umami Grand Cru” New Release

Sendai Isawa Family Katsuyama Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.:

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Presented in a handcrafted Sendai Tansu (Photo: Business Wire)

A Legacy of Supporting Sendai's Samurai Warlord, Date Masamune

Sendai Isawa Family Katsuyama Sake Brewery Co., Ltd., which has a history of over 330 years as the official sake brewer for the Sendai Domain founded by the feudal lord Date Masamune, released RYOAN LEGEND 2012 Junmai Daiginjo-DOUBLE UMAMI FINISH - Umami Grand Cruon December, 2024.
This sake, crafted by unraveling a recipe from 300 years ago, achieves a quality that extracts "twice the umami components of rice" through Katsuyama Brewery's unique centrifugal pressing method. Then, through 12 years of ice aging at minus 5 degrees Celsius, this sake has reached a level of maturity brought about by time.

Shaped by Date Masamune's legacy as a samurai leader and cultural patron, Sendai embodies his vision through international exchange and crafts like Sendai Tansu. Katsuyama Sake Brewery, the Date family's official brewery for over 300 years, honors this heritage while crafting globally renowned sake.

Winner of Prestigious Sake Competitions Worldwide!

Katsuyama Sake Brewery has earned numerous accolades. Junmai Ginjo "Ken" topped the SAKE COMPETITION in 2015 and 2016 and was Champion Sake at the 2019 London IWC. That year, Junmai Daiginjo "Den" won the President Sake title at France's KURA MASTER. Flagship Junmai Daiginjo "Akatsuki" scored 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate in 2016, ranked first among 800 new sakes, and placed second in the 2024 SAKE COMPETITION Super Premium category.

An Uniquely Exceptional Sake, Reviving a 300-Year-Old Recipe

The theme "Ryoan" honors Heizaemon Isawa, the sixth-generation owner of Katsuyama Sake Brewery, who played a key role in Sendai's growth. His restoration of Zuihō-ji, the Date family's ancestral temple, preserved traditional culture. Inspired by the legacies of Masamune and Heizaemon, RYOAN LEGEND 2012 Junmai Daiginjo embodies Sendai's history, Samurai’s pride, and innovation.

Inspired by Edo-period (1603-1868) sake recipes, this sake combines tradition and innovation. Using historical methods, it amplifies umami, unlocking rice's potential for a rich, smooth finish. Made from 2012 Yamada Nishiki Special A rice, grown near Mount Izumigatake with silica-rich water, it reflects Katsuyama’s unique terroir. With centrifugal extraction and 12 years of cold aging, it achieves a perfect balance of depth, umami, and crispness.

Presented in a handcrafted Sendai Tansu, this limited release of 50 sets offers an unparalleled experience of premium rice’s sake.

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