Little Sumo: An 18% Undiluted Junmai in a Cup

The cup has a small sumo wrestler on it. The Japanese name, Chibi Zumo, means little sumo.

Everything about the packaging says approachable. The sake inside is 18% ABV and undiluted, which is stronger than most of the bottles on our list.

What Genshu Means

Most sake comes off the press somewhere around 18–20% alcohol and then gets cut with water to bring it down to the 15–16% that's standard in a bottle.

Genshu means that step was skipped. What you're drinking is the sake at the concentration it fermented to.

That's why the strength is up, but strength isn't really the point. Without dilution the texture is denser and the flavors are more concentrated. It's a fuller version of itself.

Where It's From

Oka Brewery, in Hyogo.

Hyogo is the prefecture that contains Nada and grows Yamada Nishiki. It's arguably the most important sake region in Japan, and a lot of what gets exported comes from there.

What's in the Cup

Junmai, so rice, water, koji and yeast, with no added brewing alcohol.

Aroma: Melon and plum

Taste: Rich in texture, with Asian pear, banana and almond

Balance: SMV +6.0 with acidity at 1.4, which puts it on the dry side despite the fruit

That combination, fruity aromatics over a dry, nutty frame, is what makes it more interesting than the cup suggests. It reads sweet on the nose and finishes dry.

Why We Pour It

Because cup sake is a great format and a bad reputation, and this is one of the bottles that fixes the reputation.

It's also a good way to try a genshu without committing to a full bottle. Undiluted sake is a style worth knowing, and a 200ml cup is a low-stakes introduction.

How We Serve It

Chilled. At 18% it can take a little ice if you want it longer, which is not something we'd say about most sake.

Pair It With

It has the weight for richer food. Pork kakuni, yakiniku, miso bacon, karaage.

The almond and pear notes are also very good against tebasaki.

Try It at Juraku

Little Sumo is on the cup sake list at Izakaya Juraku, Lower East Side.