Nước Mắm Cá Cơm Nhỉ Thượng Hạng 45N is a premium traditional fish sauce produced by the Vietnamese company Lê Gia in Thanh Hóa Province. It is made exclusively from 76 percent anchovies and 24 percent sea salt. The fish are salted immediately after being caught to preserve their proteins and prevent the raw material from spoiling. The mixture matures in large wooden barrels made from bời lời wood. Unlike the company’s standard sauces, which ferment for 18 to 24 months, this product matures for eight years. During this extended maturation, the fish proteins gradually break down into amino acids that create a pronounced umami character. The term nhỉ refers to the first drops of concentrated sauce that naturally drain from the fermented fish mixture. The product is undiluted and has a natural total nitrogen concentration of 45 grams per liter. The 45N designation refers specifically to this value rather than to the percentage of fish or salt. The sauce has a dark amber color that becomes more intense through natural oxidation during maturation. Its aroma is mild and rounded while its flavor is full-bodied with a deep and lingering sweetness derived from the amino acids in the fish.
Producer
Lê Gia is a Vietnamese producer of traditional fermented condiments based in the coastal district of Hoằng Hóa in Thanh Hóa Province. The brand was founded in 2015 by Lê Ngọc Anh with the aim of preserving the heritage of Khúc Phụ village which has been associated with fish sauce production for more than two centuries. Its core product is fish sauce made from fresh anchovies and pure sea salt without added water, flavor enhancers or preservatives. The fish are salted immediately after being caught to preserve their natural quality. The mixture is then matured in large traditional wooden barrels for 18 to 24 months. After fermentation the first-press sauce is extracted and develops a clear amber color, a pronounced umami character and a mildly sweet finish. The producer also blends liquid from several barrels to achieve a consistent flavor in the finished product. In addition to fish sauce the range includes fermented krill paste, shrimp sauce, fermented fish products and other condiments characteristic of Vietnamese cuisine. The company works with local fishermen and salt producers which helps preserve the traditional livelihoods of the coastal community. Since 2024 the Lê Gia production complex has also been recognized as a tourist destination where visitors can learn about the history and production of traditional fermented sauces.