With Dassai 45, 39, and 23 under their belt, Asahi Shuzo decided to take the next step and go Beyond. The ambition was to go beyond what was already widely considered the "perfect" sake in Japan, Dassai 23. And so, Dassai founder Hiroshi Sakurai and his small group of the finest sake artisans began their ten-year journey, culminating in Dassai Beyond.
Annual production is limited to a few thousand bottles, and the fermentation is longer and at a lower temperature. The brewing process is shrouded in mystery (the polish ratio is undisclosed, for example) but what is clear is that Beyond transcends the realm of sake. This sake, along with Dassai 23, was the sake Prime Minister Abe chose to present to President Obama during his trip to Japan in 2014.
Details
ABOUT THIS BOTTLE
Dassai Beyond
Asahi Shuzo doesn't want drinkers to perceive Beyond as something "more perfect" than Dassai 23, but instead, as a totally different entity. In fact, they suggest drinking it after having a glass of Dassai 23 to really appreciate what makes Beyond different. Comparatively speaking, Beyond is a little more complex, a little more mineral, slightly less creamy and less sweet on the palate. It achieves in bringing body and elegance in a bottle. It has gentle pear, citrus, rhubarb, and wild rose notes, all braided up in silky, elegant layers. As Miles Davis said, writing about music is like dancing about architecture— we can talk all night about Dassai Beyond, but in the end, you'll just have to try it.
HOW TO ENJOY
PAIRING
SERVING
