Kikusui Funaguchi 200ml

Kikusui's Funaguchi Gold is the can that started Japan's nama-sake craze back in 1972, and it's still brewed the same unapologetic way: unpasteurized and undiluted, straight from the press. Made with Niigata's Gohyakumangoku rice polished to 70%, it hits hard at 19% ABV, with a thick, chewy texture and notes of banana bread and honey that lean sweet (SMV -3) rather than sharp. It's not subtle, and it isn't trying to be — drink it ice-cold with ramen or fried chicken, or stash a few in the fridge to see how the flavor mellows over time.