Nihon Chomiryo Tabi
Iio Jozo Junmai Fujisu Rice Vinegar (飯尾醸造 純米富士酢)
The story behind it
Miyazu is the seaside side of Kyoto. In this town overlooking Amanohashidate, Iio Jozo has made nothing but vinegar since 1893.
What sets this maker apart is that its vinegar starts in the rice paddy. Since 1964 it has worked with local farmers to grow rice without pesticides on terraced fields, and it uses only that new-crop rice. It puts about 200g of rice into every liter, 5 times the minimum the JAS standard requires.
Fermentation follows the old static method: roughly 80 to 120 days of fermenting, then about 300 days more of aging. The result is a mellow acidity with no sting and the deep savor of rice. This is the bottle that turns sunomono into something you look forward to.
How to use it
For sunomono, sushi rice, and nanbanzuke. It is mellow enough to finish sweet-and-sour pork or a stir-fry. Plenty of regulars also mix it with honey and water as a drinking vinegar.