Gekkeikan Kagetsu Junmai Namazume

Gekkeikan Kagetsu Junmai Namazume (果月 生詰) is part of the "Kagetsu" line with its characteristic sweet and juicy taste. The new 2025 version has improved balance of sweetness, acidity, and umami, resulting in a flavour profile that feels more distinctly like sake. The label has also been redesigned to strike a balance between traditional Japanese sake aesthetics and a sense of modernity.

The new sake features an aroma and flavour reminiscent of melon—sweet, juicy, and followed by a clean, crisp finish. Within its rich sweetness, there's also a refreshing quality, allowing drinkers to savour a taste akin to that of biting into a ripe melon. As the product is namazume (生詰)—meaning it is pasteurised only once before bottling—it retains the fresh, clean aftertaste characteristic of high-quality sake. In terms of food pairings, it goes particularly well with savoury dishes such as salted yakitori and smoked salmon, where its sweetness and acidity can complement and elevate the umami of the food.

Gekkeikan Sake Brewery (月桂冠株式会社) is located in Fushimi, Kyōto, a location well-known for its high quality of water, and was founded in 1637 by Ōkura Jiemon (大倉治右衛門). In 1905, the brand name Gekkeikan ("crown of laurel") was adopted as the company's formal pledge to perfection. It is one of the world's oldest companies and is a member of the Hénokiens. Nowadays, Gekkeikan, one of Japan's most popular brands, is run by Ōkura Haruhiko (大倉治彦) in the 14th generation. Gekkeikan's North American subsidiary, Gekkeikan Sake (USA), Inc., is based in Folsom, CA, and holds a 25% market share in the US sake market. Gekkeikan had been the leading sake manufacturer for several decades until Hakutsuru Shuzō overtook it in 2002.