Once upon a time, centuries ago, all sake was stored and transported in cedar barrels called taru, namely because stainless steel tanks and modern bottling technology had not yet been invented. It was easy to store the sake in a barrel, and fill up your masu cup at the local izakaya. Also, before modern brewing techniques, sake often had a very rough taste, and aging in cedar barrels helped mask some of the harsh edges. Many have seen these cedar-barrels in photos of Shinto shrines, or on display at American restaurants. Indeed, the taru barrel still holds cultural significance, but improving technologies and brewing techniques have rendered them obsolete on a large scale. Sake that spends time aging in taru is called taruzake.
In 1964, Choryo Shuzo was the first sake brewery to bring back taru aged sake in the modern era for sale to the general public. Before this, Choryo was actually dedicated entirely to producing cedar barrels, so it was well positioned to make this innovation. This time, they age the sake in taru before bottling it in modern fashion. This was the first time people could taste the delicious woodsy profile of taruzake without having to actually crack open an entire barrel. Today, taruzake is donated to Shinto shrines, or used for special occasions, such as the opening of a new business.
Choryo Shuzo exclusively uses Yoshinosugi (“Japanese-cedar”) from barrel makers at the foot of Mt. Nara. There are only five Japanese barrel makers left in the country. The barrels must be made by hand, from trees at least 80 years old, and require an aging period of one year to drain all the excess water and create a beautiful color. Taru barrels are never charred like wine barrels, and are used up to three times by sake breweries. Taruzake has a very distinct cedar aroma and taste, and pairs very nicely with grilled meat and vegetables.
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