Ibi Barrel

Ibi, from Sugihara Shuzo, which bills itself as Japan's smallest sake brewery, is a brand whose appeal lies in the careful, small-batch brewing behind it. 'Ibi Barrel' is aged in a wine barrel whose interior has been shaved down and given a faint scorch through flame-roasting. The barrel's smokiness rides atop a powerful 17%-alcohol sake, resulting in a finish where weight and drinkability coexist. A dense sweetness like honey or rum raisin, with vanilla felt in the aroma that fills the mouth.