On the 26th July 2017, Gekkeikan brewery from Kyoto with 380 years of History, launched its pinnacle among all the cuvees, “Gold Medal Brewery Daiginjo” exclusively to Hedonism Wines.
In order to celebrate it, we had a fabulous sake and food matching with Gekkeikan Master Class with Mr Yukimasa Noda and Antony Moss Master of Wine.
This event was planned, curated and hosted by Honami Matsumoto, the founder of House of Sake.
Ticket to this spectacle event was £60 per person of which £10 was redeemable against any purchase of Gekkeikan sake on the day of the event.
Gekkeikan, one of the oldest breweries found in Japan. Since its establishment in 1637 in Fushimi in Kyoto prefecture, Gekkeikan has been one of the leading breweries for innovations and exports.
Gekkeikan was the champion of the first ever Japan Annual National Sake Competition back in 1911, and have been receiving gold medal in the same competition repeatedly. Gekkeikan has released “Gold Medal Brew” in very limited quantity to let sake followers to taste the pinnacle of history of Gekkeikan.
Hedonism is the exclusive retailer in London for “Gold Medal Brew”.
This special master class was held with Mr. Yukimasa Noda, International Ambassador of Gekkeikan, and Antony Moss Master of Wine and Director of Strategic Planning of WSET Global.
Splendid Chef Hideko Kawa, the former head pastry chef of Fat Duck and the founder of Sweet Art Lab will create specially matched, artisanal selection of sophisticated canapés for all the sake served on the night.
The menu was:
1 Gekkeikan Taru zake with Amuse
野菜の炊き合わせ
Simmered organic carrot, green beans and dried shiitake mushroom
2 Gekkeikan Kanjuku Umesyu
鳥レバーのパーフェとブリオッシュ
Chicken liver parfait coated with plum jelly with Brioche
3 Gekkeikan Nouvelle Tokubetsu Honjyozo
酒マリネプティトマトのコンソメゼリー詰め
Petit tomato marinated with Tokubetsu Honjyozo filled with tomato consommé jelly
4 Gekkeikan Horin, Junmai Daiginjo
なすとローストビーフフィレ肉のだいだいポン酢マリネ
Grilled organic Graffiti Aubergine and Roasted beef tenderloin marinated with Daidai ponzu
5 Gekkeikan Gold Medal Brewery Daiginjo
酒とゆずのチョコレート盆栽風
Yuzu and Sake chocolate in Bonsai style
酒とベリーのロールケーキ
Summer berries and Sake Roll cake
There was “Opening the Mirror” (Kagami-Biraki) ceremony during the master class and the attendees received generous special gifts from Gekkeikan.
There are little more information on Gekkeikan here……
Gekkeikan was:
-The first sake producer to cease the use of preservatives in sake.
-Discovered microfiltration to stabilise condition of sake without pasteurisation and generously shared its innovative discovery with the rest of industry.
-Its own famous laboratory developing Gekkeikan’s own yeasts, creating many innovative sakes including “Sugar Free” (Residual sugar 0%), “All Zero” (Alcohol 0%, Residual Sugar 0%, 0 Calories), Unpasteurised sake which could be distributed without refrigeration.
She has been working with sake for nearly 15 years and is a Kikisakeshi-qualified sake sommelier, WSET-certified educator and an International Wine Challenge(IWC) Panel Judge in the sake category.
Having trained at Leith’s School of Food & Wine and Le Cordon Bleu, Honami is a qualified sommelier and has worked at some of London’s world-renowned restaurants, including Le Gavroche, as well as luxury wine and spirits merchant Hedonism Wines.
