Dassai 45

Characteristics and tasting notes of the Dassai 45

Tasting

Appearance
This sake displays a very pale, bright robe with crystal-clear clarity. Its transparency is almost total, making it nearly colourless, resembling clear water.

Nose
The nose is at once discreet, refined and highly expressive. It reveals a dominant note of white and summer fruits, such as apple, pear, grape, melon and peach. This fruity bouquet is accompanied by delicate floral notes and enriched with subtle exotic touches evoking green pineapple, coconut and banana.

Palate
The attack on the palate proves energetic, first releasing flavours of puffed rice and chestnut. It then evolves towards a silky, soft and airy mid-palate, boasting a medium body and a delicate texture, at times perceived as creamy. The finish is clean, crisp and slightly dry, fading on a pleasant, gentle rice flavour.

Pairings and tasting moments
This sake is ideally enjoyed chilled, at a temperature between 4 and 12°C. It is advisable to remove it from the refrigerator a few minutes before serving to release all its aromatic complexity. Perfect as an aperitif, it pairs wonderfully with fish, seafood and sushi, as well as with white meats and poultry. Its versatility allows it to match French and Italian cuisine, but also soft cheeses such as Brie or fresh goat cheese. Finally, it enhances fruity, creamy or white chocolate-based desserts.

Mixology
As an exceptional, top-of-the-range product, this sake is designed to be enjoyed neat. It is recommended to savour it without embellishment in order to preserve the finesse of its aromas and the delicacy of its texture.

Other characteristics
This spirit shows an alcohol content of approximately 15 to 16% vol. Owing to its particularly delicate nature, it is essential to store the bottle in the refrigerator, away from light, to preserve all its aromatic freshness.

A Japanese sake of great elegance crafted by the Asahi Shuzo brewery in Yamaguchi

The Dassai House: the excellence of Japanese sake by Asahi Shuzo
Produced by the Asahi Shuzo brewery, the current owner of the estate located in the Osogoe mountains in Iwakuni, in the Yamaguchi prefecture, Dassai is an essential benchmark of premium Japanese sake. Historically a classic rural brewery, the House underwent a radical transformation to devote itself exclusively to the production of the supreme category: junmai daiginjo. The brand's identity relies on the exclusive use of the prestigious yamada nishiki rice and on an innovative production model. Indeed, Asahi Shuzo has abandoned the traditional figure of the master brewer in favour of a highly technological system, operating continuously across all four seasons. This approach, combining cutting-edge instrumentation with an abundant workforce, guarantees exceptional and consistent quality, propelling the brand onto the world's finest gastronomic tables.

Dassai 45: the pure and accessible expression of Junmai Daiginjo
The Dassai 45 is the flagship and most accessible cuvée of the range, serving as the ideal gateway into the brand's universe. This sake is an authentic Junmai Daiginjo, which means it is crafted exclusively from water, yeast, koji and rice, without any addition of distilled alcohol.

The raw material used is yamada nishiki, considered the pinnacle of brewing rice. The production method of this sake relies on precision work: the rice grain undergoes intense polishing until only 45% of its initial mass remains, thus removing 55% of the outer layers. This rigorous process makes it possible to extract the starch-rich core, ensuring superior aromatic purity and a texture of great finesse.

Historically, this spirit replaced the previous Dassai 50 in 2019. The brewery chose to increase the polishing rate by an additional five points while maintaining a similar price positioning, thereby offering a genuine qualitative improvement. Today, this sake enjoys immense international renown. Its consistency, ensured by perfect mastery of the brewing process from one year to the next, makes it an omnipresent reference on the menus of contemporary restaurants around the world.