Latest reviews

The 300-ml version of Eisen's Akabee is sold as a souvenir sake in combination with an Akabeko ochoko, which is the reason my wife bought it. The aroma is reminiscent of old-fashioned traditional sake, with a hint of acidity and alcohol scent—smooth mouthfeel. The acidity, sweetness and umami spread out in that order, followed by a strong pungency that lasts a little longer and leaves an impression of dryness. It is a souvenir sake that will be remembered for the Akabee character more than anything else.

We revisited Hanahato's classic nigori to present it to visiting family members. Hanahato was the first to release nigori in Hiroshima. It's so popular with die-hard local fans that reservations are being made before it's ready. It is full-bodied and sweet but has a refreshing aftertaste. It is probably the perfect nigori starter for those who've never enjoyed it before.

Namachozō (生貯蔵酒) is a type of sake that undergoes only one pasteurisation. Tefu (butterfly) has a promising nose of banana and exotic fruit and a round, gentle and lovely aroma, followed by a soft and delicate texture: great bitterness paired with sweetness and a mild body.

This is an autumn sake that goes well with the more savoury dishes of autumn. It is part of Hanahato's "Fruit Series" and follows the "Watermelon Label" popular in the summer.
The Aki no Junmai Ginjō Muroka Genshu is slightly effervescent, rich, full-bodied, and well-rounded, with an outstanding balance of sweetness and bitterness. Splendid food sake and aperitif. Very appealing and on next year's bucket list!

With an intense nose of alcohol and koji, full-bodied and rich with an elegant sweetness, the Kiyomori is an ideal food sake. It is versatile and can be enjoyed chilled or heated.

When Hanahato" 's master brewers conceived the "Kiyomori", they aimed to craft a sake that resembled the brews mentioned in the 'Engishiki', an old Japanese text describing the details of sweet and mild Heian-era sake. On top of that, it's a kijoshu, a sake that uses junmaishu instead of water. We first tried it in December 2020 (R.1BY), and these were my annotations back then:

Creamy and sweet; rich, eggnog-like taste, slightly effervescent; spicy aroma with a sour finish.

Click to expand...

The R.4BY (R.4 stands for Reiwa 4 = 2023, BY for brewing year) is slightly less sweet than its predecessor but still deliciously rich, creamy and quite acidic. Nice umami, too, with thick sediments. Enjoy this culinary time warp into the Heian period!


It comes in a 500ml bottle.

Bangaishu is a blend of parts other than chuukumi (middle part), taken, for instance, from Hanahato's Junmai Ginjo Chuukumi. The brewery affirms this does not result in inferior quality but an affordable price. It has a faint and gentle scent. Refreshing and with a lot of umami, slight bitterness and sweetness. With an alcohol content of 14%, it is light and easy to drink.

Like Shiokawa's Cowboy series, the N888 aimed to create a sake that could be paired with Japanese, Western, and Chinese food. The basic strategy: increase acidity. Hence, the label on the bottle's neck reads: "Wine? Sake!" This is definitely sake, not white wine. It has a fruity nose with distinct citric notes. Silky texture. Very smooth, sweet, and thick, with an approach like a lemony tsunami. Lots of umami and a slight bitterness mid-palate. Sour and refreshing finish.

Mild and thin body, approach with appealing acidity, refreshing and easygoing table sake, with an aroma of dried fruits, slightly dry with notes of green.

Very mild and light in character, Eisen's Junmai Ginjo is slightly dry but has a presence of umami paired with a delicate aroma. Made of local Toyonishiki rice, Fukushima yeast, and water taken from one of Japan's Top 100 springs, this brew is the epitome of Aizu's sake craftsmanship.

This is an award-winning Junmai that we immensely enjoyed on a visit to the region. It has a fruity nose and, at first sip, a complex character. Full-bodied and well-balanced, it is sweet and fruity and has a refreshing bitterness.

We found this namachozo at a local Aizu supermarket. It is a limited summer edition and is most likely only available in Fukushima. We could not find any reference on Hanaharu's website or anywhere else. It has a light, sweetish, and refreshing taste. The fresh umami goes down smoothly, it is a pleasant summer drink.

Kokken's Junmai has a fruity nose of bananas and a light body with a tad of acidity and umami. The brewery uses Yamada Nishiki for koji rice and Yume no Kaori for kakemai. It is a dry sake with a rich taste and the right amount of acidity and bitterness. We had it chilled, but it is also recommended to be heated.

Kokken's Junmai has a fruity nose of bananas and a light body with a tad of acidity and umami. The brewery uses Yamada Nishiki for koji rice and Yume no Kaori for kakemai. It is a dry sake with a rich taste and the right amount of acidity and bitterness. We had it chilled, but it is also recommended to be heated.

Yoshinogawa Brewery in Kitakata, not to be confused with its namesake in Niigata, is a genuinely local brewery producing for the local market, with "local" referring to Kitakata and the surrounding Aizu area. We found their futsushu at a Gyomu supermarket. In Aizu, even the most rustic grocery shop has three metres of local sake on its shelves—a paradise for orthodox sake aficionados. Yoshinogawa's futsushu comes only in 1.8l bottles. We were surprised by its elegance and perfect balance. It isn't easy to find Yoshinogawa outside Aizu; their futsushu, however, seems to be available on Amazon Japan. The brewery itself does not have a website.

Sweet nose with spicy notes, elegant sweetness, and a sour finish with a spicy tingle: the epitome of summer refreshment.

This is a super dry sake with just enough ginjo aroma and a pronounced rice flavour. Notes of green apple. It has a sharp, refreshing taste with a subtle umami. Solid and bitter aftertaste. It is recommended as an aperitif or with savoury food.

Floral nose with solid notes of turpentine. Floral approach, with a crescendo of dryness, bitter acidity and a slight aroma of sweetness. Slightly long finish with a refreshingly sour tingle. Relatively light-bodied.

We found this Muroka in a supermarket in Inawashiro. It is not listed on the brewery's website. Well-rounded, full-mouthed, rich, with an underlying sweetness and great acidity. Brilliant!

Imagawa Brewery, the last remaining sake brewery in Inawashiro, has been using the Shichijūrō (七重郎) brand for generations. This blue label is a namazake, which means it is not pasteurised and is only heated once. It is made from Miyamanishiki rice and has a lovely ginjo fragrance paired with a ripe fruitiness and a spicy touch. It is a pretty dry junmai. Its slightly sour and bitter taste turns into a pleasantly sweet mouthfeel. The spiciness dominates the flavour from beginning to end, and the richness of the unfiltered sake can be fully appreciated. It has a smooth and clear aftertaste with a lasting spicy note. We had it chilled, but it is recommended to drink it warm!