Mitsutake Brewery Imoshochu Kumoyueno Kimagureyo 光武北斗之拳甜薯燒酎 (1x90cl)

This is not sake. It is imo-shochu, a Japanese distilled spirit made from sweet potato, from Saga prefecture. 本格焼酎 means single-distilled, which is why the base ingredient comes through so clearly instead of being stripped out. The label carries the 北斗の拳 artwork along with the characters 光武酒造 and 本格芋焼酎.

Note the size: 90cl, bigger than a standard bottle, so it lasts a while at home. A talking point on the table too, given the label.

Tasting notes

Sweet potato shochu usually has a soft, earthy sweetness with a rounded body. It is normally drunk with hot water, cold water or on the rocks rather than neat in a small glass — hot water typically brings out the aroma most.