ALEXCIOUS

Sophisticated designs of noble heritage

The Japanese have long felt that the enjoyment of food and drink also requires a ‘feast’ for the eyes. The graceful forms of the KABURAKI SAKAZUKI (Sake cup) range has been developed specifically to draw out the beverages's vast array of complex, delicate flavors and fragrances, while traditional Arita-yaki, Kiyomizu-yaki and Kutani-yaki patterns perfect the task. Suitable for all types of Sake, including warm, the petal-like flared rim of the versatile Takahai draws Sake to the front of the tongue to perceive the flavor. It then delivers it across the palate bringing out the beverage’s refreshing acidity without a sense of heaviness. The addition of the stem to what is essentially a Shuhai enhances the beauty of the hand-painted designs while making the Takahai easy to hold.

Kiyomizu-yaki (Kyo-yaki)

Elegant shapes, graceful designs, and pure, intense colors are the qualities that have drawn generation after generation to Kyoto's Kiyomizu-yaki porcelain. Born in the area around Kiyomizu-dera temple, which sits nestled in the Higashiyama hills on the eastern side of Kyoto, Kiyomizu-yaki is admired and collected around the world. Tracing its origins to the 5th century, Kiyomizu-yaki has evolved over many centuries. Colors were introduced in the Muromachi-Period (1338-1573), followed by overglazing techniques some years later to give added luster to items after firing. In the late Edo-Period (1600-1868), the potters of Kiyomizu shifted from earthenware to Chinese-style porcelain – A momentous shift! Famous for its superior craftsmanship and unrivalled durability, modern Kiyomizu-yaki, a product of all these innovations, is characterized by refined, intricate designs decorated in vibrant colors.

Sake

While some kinds of Sake have almost no perceptible aroma, others have a very prominent fragrance approaching wine in style. Embedded in this aromatic package can be all kinds of fruit fragrances, flowers, rice-like elements, and anything in between. Some are gentle and only present for a few seconds, while others can be strong and have the staying power of a few days. Though neither end of the spectrum is inherently better than the other, more often than not, a particular Sake’s fragrance is a function of the style of its region of production, and closely tied to local water and rice. The results are no accident; they are precisely as the Toji (Head Brewer) envisaged.

Sake Types:

Polishing the rice to the fullest possible extent and fermenting it slowly at low temperature produces superbly refined, flavorful Sake. It gives off a gorgeous fruity aroma while exhibiting no bitterness.

Made exclusively from rice and water without the addition of extra alcohol, (which would serve to dilute its flavor), Junmai has a full, soft flavor.

The Yamahai techniques improve Kimoto, which is the traditional way of making Sake. However, very few Sake makers are able to produce excellent Kimoto and Yamahai Sake due to the necessary specialized manufacturing techniques, which are both time-consuming and labor intensive. The microbes produced during the brewing process give an appealing well-rounded flavor to the beverage.