Ise Gohon-ten is a long-established liquor store founded in 1706. They have two stores in Sendagi and Naka-Meguro. The main store in Sendagi is located in a quiet residential area and has a wide selection of Japanese sake and shochu, although they have limited stock of Western liquors like whisky. Today, I purchased the "Koeikiku Hakugetsu Muroka Namagenshu" from Saga Prefecture, which was also featured at the entrance of the store. Koeikiku Shuzo went out of business in 2006, but the brewery was revived by a group of enthusiasts. It is currently quite popular, and the summer sake is refreshing, fresh, light, and easy to drink. It is a slightly effervescent type, so be careful when opening.

I found out about the release of "Cool Mint Green" through a Twitter announcement and stopped by on the first day of its release on my way home. Many people had the same purpose, as most of the customers in the store were holding this bottle. I was able to get one as well. Shortly after, they sold out for the day, so I was lucky! Just like the Flamingo Orange, it seems to be quite popular. I also purchased a bottle of wine from the Obuse Winery. I must visit Fukuhara as well. This guarantees a happy weekend! (laughs)

Today was another warm day. I saw on Twitter that Isego-san added Flamingo Orange to their menu, so I lined up before the store opened. My wife loves this drink, so I really wanted to get it. I was relieved to finally get it, as I missed out on the first release. It's a shochu with a refreshing citrus scent. Last year, you could reserve it by phone, but this year it's only available in-store. It seems to be getting harder to get each year... I'll savor it slowly. Actually, after this, I went on a sake shop tour to Yamaya in Ikebukuro, Wakamatsuya in the neighborhood, and a local liquor store. I might be a little too into alcohol... (sweating)

After reading a review about 98WINEs being restocked, I was immediately drawn to visit the store. I was looking for "SOU (white)" and "SOU (rosé)". I am interested in visiting the winery once the situation with COVID-19 improves. I also came across a blog post about the sister brand of Flamingo Orange, called Yasuda, which had a lychee aroma. The blog post mentioned trying them side by side, and I fell for it. The owner sure knows how to attract customers. But it was exactly as described. Smart marketing, haha.

I found out about this place and now I'm worried because the consumption of shochu is increasing (lol). On a certain day, I tried Dabada Hifuri and liked it, so I bought it again. The next day I went, 98WINEs "SOU" white and rosé were in stock and posted on the blog. Uh-oh, looks like I have to go again.

This spring, I discovered and became a fan of Flamingo Orange through this blog, and visited Isego with my wife to restock. The store had hand sanitizer and a notice about limited entry due to COVID-19, but when I visited, there was no one inside so we could enter easily. The Flamingo Orange shochu had a citrusy aroma that didn't feel like shochu at all. When mixed with soda, the aroma became even more lively, making it a drink I would want to have more of in the upcoming season. Luckily, I was able to buy the last 1.8L bottle (they will restock in June). I also came across the "Jun Kuro Limited Jar Aged" that was recommended by Mairebi-san's review and decided to get it as well. The sweet potato flavor in this one was amazing, especially when mixed with hot water. I heard it's unfiltered, so I hope to try it out someday at this store.

Isego is a strong ally for local sake drinkers with a wide variety of sake selections available. Although it is not a restaurant but a sake retail store, I have not reviewed it before. Even after the state of emergency was declared, they are operating with restrictions on entry, and I wanted to inform you about it briefly. The store is open every day from 10:00 to 19:00, with no regular holidays. The Naka-Meguro store is open from 11:00 to 19:00, but the standing bar is currently closed. After getting takeout of fried chicken and grilled chicken from a new restaurant called Bird Hill nearby, I came to Isego in search of sake to pair with the grilled chicken. I thought they might not be open, but they were operating as usual. However, they have hand sanitizers at the entrance and are limiting the number of people allowed inside. This is to prevent crowding and close contact inside the store. Due to the entry restrictions, there were only 4 staff members including the store manager and 4-5 customers inside. It is important to try to maintain social distance as much as possible. It's a great store where you can have a lot of fun if you come without deciding what sake to buy. I purchased the limited edition jar-aged Jun Kokuto from Kagoshima (they did not have the unfiltered version in stock), the Lion's Village Spring Junmai Ginjo unfiltered sake from Noto, and the craft gin 9148 Sakura version that I had enjoyed in Otaru in February. I was told that the small numbers on the 9148 label indicate the distillation date on the left and the recipe number on the right. Oh, this was distilled on February 27th. It has a pale cherry blossom color, and there is even a cherry blossom flower in the bottle. It's so beautiful that you want to keep looking at it without drinking it (laughs). The botanical herbs used include juniper berry, cherry blossom leaves & flowers, coriander, angelica, cinnamon, Hakodate kombu kelp, dried shiitake mushrooms, dried daikon radish, lemon, blueberry, cardamom, cloves, and pink peppercorns. That's a lot of variety. After chatting with the staff for a bit (they will continue operating until the end of the state of emergency period on May 6th), I paid and left the store, where there was a line of people waiting to enter. The lines at the ramen shop in Ameyoko had disappeared, but a new line had formed at a sake shop in Sendagi. The coronavirus is bringing about various effects and changes in many places. I spent only about 10 minutes inside the store, feeling a bit regretful that I had to minimize contact. I carried two 1.8-liter bottles and the craft gin on my back, and walked back home, concluding today's walk. I will stay home and enjoy some sake this weekend!

I first discovered this shop after having a meal at Kofu Coen. I have been back several times since and I am completely hooked. The variety of items they offer is amazing, and the fact that they sell popular sake and shochu at regular prices, without any markup, is surprising. I guess it must be because of their long-standing relationships with various breweries. I don't know much about the alcohol industry, but I imagine that being an authorized retailer at this shop is a status symbol for many breweries. The staff inside the shop are also professionals. They will answer your questions politely and let you take your time browsing for as long as you want. It's so enjoyable. For alcohol enthusiasts, this place is like heaven or a sacred place. I discovered Flamingo Orange from their blog and Cardamom shochu in-store, and I am happy to have found new flavors. Each one is surprisingly delicious, a new experience. (So many new encounters! by Kami-san) I already have a few more in mind that I want to try next, so it looks like I'll be making my way to Sendagi again this weekend (laughs)

I tried 98WINES wine for the first time at a restaurant in Kofu and really liked it. I wanted to buy some to take home, but found out that it is only sold in 6 stores nationwide, with only 2 stores in the prefecture, both of which were too far away. However, I discovered that there is a shop in Sendagi, Tokyo that carries it, and it has been in business since 1707. I visited the shop and was impressed by its spacious interior and wide selection of Japanese sake, shochu, liqueur, Japanese whiskey, and Japanese wine. I purchased TANE Frost (SOU) white and KOKU 2018 red, and enjoyed them with a large amount of oysters sent by my father-in-law. I hope to become more knowledgeable about Koshu wine and Japanese alcohol so that I can impress others with my knowledge. The staff at the shop were very knowledgeable and provided great service. I will definitely visit again to explore more of their offerings. It was a great experience to discover this shop through dining at COEN. Thank you.

On the evening of July 12, 2019 (Friday), I visited a specialty liquor store and purchased two bottles of sake. I heard on Twitter that the "Kougyo" from Suikei had arrived, so I decided to visit. In addition to that, I also purchased another bottle, the "Takachiyo Summer Sake" from Niigata. The "Kougyo" from Suikei was developed to pair well with sweetfish, and it is a refreshing and light sake. It has a taste that would go well with fish dishes, making it perfect for summer. The "Takachiyo Seven Unfiltered Nama" has a melon-like fresh aroma and a distinctive effervescence due to the sediment. This sake is also perfect for summer.

Visited a liquor store in Sendagi at 3:00 PM on Saturday, June 15, 2019. The store had a cozy, hidden gem vibe with a wide variety of Japanese sake. There were many things I wanted to buy, but this time I decided to purchase one bottle each of my favorite Fukushima Hanasakura Shuzo's Ro Man series. I tried them at home later, here are my brief thoughts: - Nana Ro Man Junmai Ginjo: This summer sake from the Ro Man series is my favorite Japanese sake. It has a fruity aroma typical of Ro Man, with a sufficient rice umami flavor. It is characterized by its smooth and easy-to-drink taste, making it perfect for summer. It pairs well with any dish. - Satsuki Ro Man Junmai Daiginjo: This sake, released around May before Nana Ro Man, is a Daiginjo. It also has a fruity flavor typical of Ro Man, but cleaner due to being a Daiginjo. At the same time, you can still feel its strength. Personally, I slightly prefer Nana Ro Man, but this one is also delicious.

Koshiringo (4-gou bottle): Fruity with a hint of sweetness. Erotic SIX (4-gou bottle): I bought it because I heard it uses the same yeast as Shinsei No.6. The name is also lovely. The synthetic cork DIAM is difficult to open. It lacks richness compared to Koshiringo and is not to my liking. Both are sake. The two shochu bottles purchased together this time are also a secret.

A sake shop near Dangozaka intersection. It's great that you can try samples, and the staff are very knowledgeable about their products, so you can trust their recommendations. They have a wide selection of licenses and offer premium items at regular prices. I purchased a whiskey and shochu that I missed out on buying at a department store this time. I'll keep the shochu brand a secret, but I heard that the Japanese sake I've been searching for since summer will be in stock around April or May, so I can't wait.

■Purchased Items◉Shinomine Namazake Yamadanishiki Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu Chiyoshuzo, Nara Prefecture 720ml, 1404 yen including tax◉Tagaji Yamahai Junmai Omachi Muroka Hiire Genshu, Bottled for Warm and Quick Cooling Eighteen Sake Brewery, Okayama Prefecture 1800ml, 3240 yen including tax◉Kankichi Special Junmai Karakuchi Onuma Shuzo, Miyagi Prefecture 720ml, 1350 yen including tax◉Suigei Ginrei Junmai Ginjo Suigei Shuzo, Kochi Prefecture 1800ml, 2884 yen including tax■ImpressionsI purchased these items on a day in 2018. I focused on seasonal sake varieties. Kankichi One, which I chose on that day, is a classic type of Junmai sake. I enjoyed the acidity of Suigei and Shinomine. Tagaji's approach is interesting and seems like it could become addictive. I look forward to the next lineup. ※For criteria for scoring, please refer to the profile.

Once a year, the Kinone Apple is shipped. The 4-cup bottle is sold out, so we indulged in the forbidden 1.8-liter bottle. The 4-cup bottle is 2,000 yen, while the 1.8-liter bottle is 3,000 yen, which is a great deal. We brought it to our favorite restaurant and enjoyed it. The rare shochu we bought with it is a secret brand as mentioned above.