Private Lab Hinotori
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed within 1 to 5 years of release, though its unique sugar and acid structure allows it to develop beautifully for up to 10 years under professional cellar conditions.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Blue cheese, Peking duck, dark chocolate desserts
✨ Technical Specifications
Part of Aramasa's avant-garde 'Private Lab' series, Hinotori (meaning 'Phoenix') is a modern recreation of Kijushu, an ancient sake-brewing style dating back to the Heian period and documented in the 10th-century Engishiki. In this labor-intensive method, sake is used in place of a portion of the brewing water during the final stage of the fermentation mash. Brewed in traditional cedar casks (kioke) using the legendary Kyokai No. 6 yeast, Hinotori rises from the ashes of history to deliver a luscious, sweet, and complex profile balanced by vibrant, wine-like acidity. It represents a brilliant bridge between ancient Japanese heritage and contemporary natural brewing philosophy.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1852 in Akita Prefecture, Japan, Aramasa Shuzo is one of the sake world's most revolutionary and revered historic breweries. Under the avant-garde leadership of eighth-generation owner Yusuke Sato, the kura strictly champions traditional, natural brewing methodologies, utilizing only native Akita rice cultivars, wooden fermentation vats (kioke), and the time-honored kimoto method without additives. Aramasa is famously the historic birthplace of Kyokai Yeast No. 6, isolated here in 1930, which the brewery now uses exclusively across its entire production. Renowned for vibrant acidity, exceptional clarity, and wine-like complexity, Aramasa produces iconic cult expressions including the unpasteurized No. 6 series, the terroir-focused Colors collection, and the rare, boundary-pushing Private Lab series featuring labels like Invisible Pink Unicorn.
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13%