Private Lab Extreme II Collectors Set
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2023
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Fresh sashimi, raw oysters, creamy goat cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Aramasa's 'Private Lab' series represents the absolute vanguard of modern sake brewing, where eighth-generation president Yusuke Sato challenges centuries-old conventions. The 'Extreme II Collectors Set' is a legendary, highly coveted release that showcases ultra-premium, experimental iterations of these boundary-pushing creations. Within this set, traditional boundaries are dissolved through avant-garde techniques—such as utilizing white koji (typically reserved for shochu) to introduce vibrant, citric acidity reminiscent of fine German Riesling, or employing the ancient Kijoshu method where sake is brewed using sake instead of water. Every bottle in this collection is crafted using Aramasa's signature Kyokai No. 6 yeast, brewed in traditional wooden casks (kioke), and made with local Akita sake rice. It is a liquid testament to Sato's philosophy of 'innovative tradition,' offering sake enthusiasts an unparalleled sensory journey into the future of Japanese brewing.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1852 by Uhei Sato in Akita Prefecture, Aramasa Shuzo stands as one of Japan's most revolutionary and revered artisanal producers. The brewery earned historic distinction in 1930 when its in-house culture was isolated as Kyokai No. 6, the oldest surviving yeast strain in active distribution. Under eighth-generation kuramoto Yusuke Sato, who took over in the late 2000s, Aramasa embarked on an uncompromising renaissance. Sato committed strictly to pure Junmai brewing, utilizing exclusively local Akita-grown rice cultivated without chemical pesticides, including over 30 hectares farmed in the Uyashinai district. Reviving traditional Edo-period techniques, all fermentations rely purely on indigenous lactic bacteria via the kimoto method and take place entirely in wooden cedar vats (kioke). Fermented using only pristine soft local mountain water and Kyokai No. 6, Aramasa's sakes—such as the iconic unpasteurized No. 6 series, the terroir-driven Colors collection, and the experimental Private Lab bottlings like Amaneko—are globally benchmarked for their electrifying acidity, pristine structural tension, and vinous elegance.