Tobaya Tsubo no Su Rice Vinegar (とば屋 壺之酢)

The story behind it

Wakasa Obama was a miketsukuni, one of the provinces that sent food to the imperial court from ancient times, and it is where the Saba Kaido mackerel road to Kyoto began. In this hub of food, Tobaya Suten has made nothing but vinegar for 300 years, since around 1710 in the Hoei era.

The ingredients are Fukui-grown Koshihikari rice and spring water. The batch goes into old-style clay pots and ferments quietly for over 3 months by the static method. In an era when quick-fermented vinegar can be finished in a day, this maker still waits on the time inside the pot.

The vinegar that comes out has little of that sharp sting and is remarkably mellow. If you think you dislike vinegar, this is the bottle to try.