Ryosuke Kuga

Dec 21, 2025

Origami Sake

I tried two bottles from Origami Sake this time. These are just my personal impressions. - Thousand Cranes Rich sweetness balanced with moderate acidity, giving it enough weight to pair well with bold, flavorful dishes. There’s a light bitterness and complexity in the finish that adds a clean edge. The aroma is pleasantly sweet with no off-notes. Best served cold — it can feel heavy when it warms up. - Angel Fish Very similar in structure to Thousand Cranes, almost hard to distinguish in a blind tasting. A faint ginjo-like aroma, rich sweetness, a milky mid-palate, and a smooth, slightly thick finish. Slightly cleaner and with fewer off-flavors than Thousand Cranes. Pairs well with rich dishes like meat, steak, and pizza. Best enjoyed cold. - Overall Made with Arkansas-grown rice, local water, and what seems to be their own? yeast (AK-24), these are truly local Arkansas sake. You can clearly feel the skill Ben brought back from his time training at Nanbu Bijin in Japan. The founder’s vision — “for Arkansas to become the Napa Valley of sake” — is inspiring, and it makes me want to support this brewery even more. These bottles show the excitement of exploring “local sake” made from the rice, water, and yeast of different parts of the world.