Sake is an art and an adventure, like wine, and this is a very special example. The Japanese word for Sake is actually a word for all spirits, but in our language it has come to mean rice wine. Sake is a complex balance of simple ingredients, a critical ingredient of quality being rice that has been "polished" to remove its outer layer and absorbed impurities. The higher the polishing ratio, the more premium the sake. Dai-gin-jyo is a super premium sake for which at least 50% of the rice grain must be polished away. It is light and fragrant and the top of the sake line. This sake comes from a brewery established in 689 (yes, the 7th century) in the Nara prefecture, and is not easily found outside of Japan. The highly respected Ume no Yado brewery was established in 1893 and is located north of the Katsuragi range. Its name translates as "Plum Inn," and is based on a 300-year old plum tree in the garden of the brewery owner, where a bush warbler used to make his nest ("inn"). They pride themselves on making a complex and very tasty sake, neither sweet nor dry, rich with flavor, which leaves a profound impression. This distinguished sake won the prestigious gold medal at the National Sake Awards in Japan in 2010. Try this and form an impression of your own.