Shiraki Tsunesuke Shōten
Daruma Masamune Vintage Koshu 1979
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Daruma Masamune Vintage Koshu 1979 is an aged sake from Shiraki Tsunesuke Shōten, a brewery in Gifu, Japan. It belongs to the koshu category, and 1979 indicates its brewing year, corresponding to the 54th year of Japan’s Shōwa era. It is part of a collection of sake that have matured for decades in the brewery’s cellar.
It is made from Japanese Nipponbare rice and rice kōji, without added distilled alcohol. The rice is polished to 70% of its original grain size, and the sake contains 17% alcohol. Its dark brown color develops naturally during aging through changes involving rice-derived sugars and amino acids.
It is characterized by pronounced richness, a soft, almost melting texture, and a deep, lingering finish. It is best served at room temperature, although it can also be enjoyed slightly chilled.
Producer
Shiraki Tsunesuke Shōten is a family-owned sake brewery founded in 1835 in the city of Gifu, in Japan’s Gifu Prefecture. It is best known for its Daruma Masamune brand and its specialization in koshu, sake that develops greater complexity in flavor and aroma through prolonged aging.
The name Daruma Masamune was adopted after the brewery was rebuilt following the devastating earthquake of 1891. The daruma doll, which returns to an upright position when knocked over, was chosen as a symbol of perseverance. In the early 1970s, the brewery began developing aged sake to establish a distinctive identity as large-scale producers expanded their reach. These sake are made primarily with Nipponbare rice and soft groundwater from the Mugi River, a tributary of the Nagara.
Aged sake now forms the core of the brewery’s business, and Daruma Masamune is exported to markets including the United States, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. Its future development centers on preserving and promoting the culture of long-aged sake, using local rice and water, and pursuing more sustainable production practices.