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Hello, folks. I was hoping for some assistance locating bottles similar to this one. I first picked up a bottle in December of 2019 when I visited the Sawanoi - Ozawa brewery. I grabbed another bottle in Tokyo a month ago.

I really like this one but am generally clueless when it comes to selecting sake. For what it's worth, I generally have this chilled.

Any suggestions for selecting new bottles based on this one? I'd like to broaden my sake horizon, and it seems buying bottles locally will be more affordable than a transpacific flight. I don't know how good my local distribution is, so it may be wiser to select based on properties rather than specific bottles. I'm open to both, though!

Any insight is appreciated.

Price range less than $100 USD. Something you can’t get in North America is preferable but not a must.

Tasted this in tokyo recently. I was told it’s the nakadori take of Niizawa’s kankyo (super 7). The bottle was priced at 66,000 円.

Unreal good. Smells like an orange grove, sweet and citrusy and fresh. Taste is fresh, tropical, pineapple and apple and maybe some white grape. Body is juicy and light, doesn’t cloy in the slightest. Finish is tight and a little acidic, hints at ricey-ness, booziness.

Easy candidate for best sake I’ve ever had.

Can anyone please help identify this sake? Drank it at an izakaya in Sapporo. TIA~

I bought this sake mostly for the packaging but it came with this label that google translated into

This sake is directly bottled (not heated when bottled), so please consume it as soon as possible.

Does that mean after opening? Or can I keep it for a couple of months in the fridge? Also do you recommend to consume it cold or hot?

Thanks

Today’s lineup for our Thanksgiving dinner party.

1. Yachiyo Junmaiginjo (Yachiyo Shuzo) - Hagi, Yamaguchi, Japan
2. Fuyu no Otozure (Ohmine Shuzo) - Mine, Yamaguchi, Japan
3. Kido Muryozan Junmaidaiginjo (Heiwa Shuzo) - Kainan, Wakayama, Japan
4. Tanaka + Senkin (Shiraito/Senkin Collaboration - 2023)

I’ll provide some tasting notes tomorrow!

First-time poster, frequent lover of Japan since living there a few years ago.

I enjoy a good sake, but my knowledge on spirits is primarily western world whiskey. So I'm looking at any recommendations for bar(s) in or around the Minato City/Tokyo Tower area.

I'm on a business trip and wanted to tack on a "sake tour" after the work-half of the trip is over. I planned on grabbing a Michelin-starred dinner and follow-up with drinks for me and coworkers. I'm not looking for bank-breaking locations (that's what dinner is for) but to get the most diversity of options/experiences.

Thanks in advance!

For my own reference, I'm looking to become more systematic about sake that I've tried. I'm trying to make this very layman, accessible and fun, not overly technical, so I don't want to duplicate whatever criteria the awards organizations are using (though I will use some of theirs). Currently I have:

• Backstory
• Label design
• Smell
• Mouth feel
• Complexity
• Overall taste
• Value

What others would you add?

I am looking for some sake recommendations based on my favorites! Hot and chilled are both good. I love a red or brown rice sake, unfiltered, less (or un)polished, less sweet, rich taste. I am in the US, so I am looking for things I can get here (either in store or online), and under $70 per bottle (but ideally under $50). These are my favorite bottles:

- Katori 90 Namagenshu from Terada Honke

- Daigo no Shizuku from Terada Honke

- Genmaishu (made with brown rice) from Kameman Shuzo (absolute favorite)

- Ine Mankai from Mukai Shuzō (made with red rice, compared to sherry)

Thank you in advance for your help!

Need help identifying this sake that I enjoyed on my recent trip to Japan! I apologize that the label is hard to read…hoping someone can recognize it…

I've gone off the top couple of Google results with success but was wondering if there is a good website you all recommend

Made a gallon batch of hibiscus sake, just pasteurized it yesterday. Used 2000g of steamed sweet rice, 400g of koji rice, and 15g of hibiscus flower herbal tea. It’s got a very floral aroma, reminiscent of bubblegum and bananas, with a crisp finish. Very proud of it! Planning on giving it to friends for the upcoming holidays.

Hi friends! I'm new to sake and just curious... what's the allure? What got you into sake and what are the things I should look for as I explore it? I love natural wine and clean spirits, but this feels like a different beast. Honestly it's quite intimidating.

Hello! Was looking for a nice sake set for my wife. I fell in love with THIS SET for a few reasons, and was fine to pay the price for a nice product.

Right before I checked out, I figured a reasonable person would Google the title of the product. A dozen seemingly identical versions showed up for $20-30 (instead of $160). See image.

Is MASU a reputable retailer? Their website is gorgeous, wondering if I'm paying 4x the price for better pictures..

i recently started my journey into Sake, so I'm getting a lay of the land. The Hakushika was the last one on the shelf, so i assumed it was good. i was pleasantly surprised. it is really refreshing.

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Anybody know which brand of sake they serve at Mori Teppan Grill in Glendale, CA? Specifically the "cold" nigori? It was very light and sweet, came in a small bottle perfect for two people. I didn't think to look at the bottle and the menu just says "cold." They also offer a cold "premium" option, but I'm pretty sure I just had the regular offering.

Weird request, I know. I just want to know what I had.

I recently returned home from my first trip to Japan (and, of course, already planning a return trip next year). At a restaurant I ordered cold sake and it was served in a unique way I had never seen before. I have searched online using various terms but haven't been able to locate a similar one to purchase for my home. Sadly I didn't have the presence of mind to take a picture!

It was an individual serving pourer and filled a sake glass about 5-6 times. It was made of clay (I think? It was not glass) and housed the sake in the bottom portion. The wondrous part to me was the top had an ice trap on swivels which pivoted and stayed horizontal as you serve/pour the sake out of the container. I believe this allowed the sake to be gently chilled as it was poured out, running against the bottom of the ice trap. Most of my online searches only reveal glass containers with ice holes in them and I haven't been able to locate this swiveling ice container above where the sake is housed.

Has anyone come across something like this, and if so where to find one? Or at least how to hone my online search so I don't keep getting glass sake decanters with an ice hole. Much appreciated!

I don't know much about sake as I am not a sake drinker myself. My dad likes sake and I am trying to find a decent bottle (good quality and affordable but willing to spend a little more on it if needed) to gift him. When we go to Japanese restaurants, he usually gets the house hot sake. I've looked it up (Geikkeikan Junmai) and it's on the cheaper side and not sure if that's considered a "good quality" sake or not. I'd rather spend a little more than that house sake he's had as it is a gift. He's not super knowledgeable about sake either but enjoys it every now and then. I asked what kind he liked and I asked him if he likes dry, semi sweet, or sweet. He wasn't really sure and guessed semi sweet. Is semi sweet a thing with sake? I want to find something not too dry and smooth/silky. Thanks in advance for the recommendations!!

Hi! I recently obtained the Kikisake-shi certification, and while I’m deciding which course to take next, I was wondering if anyone here has book recommendations for sake sommeliers. They can be on any topic—terroir, service, history, brewing techniques, pairing, or anything else related to sake.

I’m especially interested in resources that delve deeper into the art and science of sake production, the unique characteristics of different sake-producing regions, or how to better educate others about sake. Books that focus on sake’s role in Japanese culture or its growing presence internationally would also be great.

If you’ve read any books that had a significant impact on your understanding or appreciation of sake, I’d love to hear your suggestions. Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge!

Hi! Brand new to sake, and I am trying to decide what to buy that will pair well with pork belly and bone marrow. I am hesitantly thinking of something acidic to cut the fat, dry or off-dry, maybe with good body and flavor profile complexity. I really want to try luging the sake through the marrow bone, so I am guessing a warm sake would be better.

I just started reading about "kokumi"/umami synergy and how different umami compounds can enhance each other, so my dream would be to find a sake bringing an interesting umami profile from free ribonucleotides as well as glutamate. I'm guessing that means a less filtered, cloudier sake with a lot of koji/lees body? One now-closed restaurant used to offer an unspecified nigori sake for bone marrow luging: X link

Again, total newbie here, so any advice or recommendations are appreciated! I'm not sure what's available in my city, but I'm willing to go on a hunt to find a decent sake selection somewhere.

Long time enjoyer - first time poster! I just went to Japan and tried this bottle at a tasting: https://en.sakeworld.jp/Sake/2306-joyo-tarekuti-720/

And wanted to bring it home! However, I am uncertain if I need to pack it on ice for the long overseas flight? The refrigerator I bought it from said keep refrigerated, but is that just for best conditions? I tried googling the type and somewhat dead ended. Will it be ok coming home with me in my checked luggage as is? Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I was looking for a sake rice supplier that sells polished rice 60/70% here in europe, but i can't find anything. I've tried to talk with USA suppliers, but the shipping fee is so high that is not worth it. Do you know one supplier or one online store where this polished rice is available? Than you very much

I won’t probably try making sake as I find it too complicated but my second try for doburoku turned out successful. I’m already looking forward drinking all bottles I made (4) so I can start a new batch. That time I will try to end fermentation a bit earlier so the resulting taste would be just sweetness. I’m glad I could manage this. Here in Czech we traditionally drink wild fermenting wine juice just before it turns into a wine so I’m really stoked to discover something similar on opposite side of the world. 🙂