Mantensei Kinoko: perhaps the perfect autumnal sake. Kuramoto (brewery president) Touda-san is, like myself and so many others in Portland, a mushroom hunter and enthusiast. This is his homage to mushrooms: the seasons we hunt for them, the dishes we make with them, their beautiful flavors and aromas, and finally the fungus which is itself the beating heart of sake: koji– aspergillus oryzae
At room temperature, I taste sweet, spiced, and earthy notes: brown sugar, hay, buckwheat honey, wheat berries, nutmeg, black tea, graham cracker, cocoa, apricot, turned earth, and of course mushroom. At ~110F, the flavor becomes more pronounced and brings out slightly more sweet notes (more brown sugar and honey), while suppressing or transforming the bitter (cocoa becomes milk chocolate…buckwheat honey becomes honey). The acidity is moderate, however it comes across as soft because the texture is so velvety, weighty, and rich. 
This sake has enough balance and flavor on its own to be enjoyable as a sipper, especially gently warmed (try 105-120F). However, all sake benefits from something salty, so if you do want to enjoy it with Netflix as opposed to dinner, consider at least a little dollop of miso or salty chips on the side.

USD : 18.7