Latest reviews

We are very impressed with Hirata's "Red Heron" label. We reviewed their Shiboritate a few days ago, and the regular Tokubetsu Junmai is of the same calibre! Multi-layered, well-rounded, deep, and of rich character, it boasts a fruity nose of apples and pears with alcoholic overtones. Quite tangy in its approach, it turns to a lovely tender sweetness mid-palate, only to transition to a sour finish with marked notes of stimulating bitterness. This is a very complex and refined sake!

This is the unfiltered, unpasteurised version of Sagaminada's Junmai Gingo Yamadanishiki: fruitier, with a nose of strawberries and bananas. Sweet approach, fruity scent of strawberries with Sagaminada's typical herbal bitterness that melts into a tingling sourness. Spicy finish. Very slight effervescence. Exquisite!

An outstanding Junmai Daiginjō namazake made of Yamadanishiki: floral and fruity nose, well-rounded and elegant, with a mildly sweet approach followed by intense ginjōka and a lingering fruitiness; soft finish with a slight sour tingle. This is a limited product available from January.

Hanahato Kijōshu no Nama Nigorizake is made of Koimomiji rice, a variety grown since 1998 and specially adapted to the harsh climate of northern Hiroshima. The rice was milled to 65%. Enoko Brewery uses Kumamoto KA-1 yeast. Kijōshu is made of sake instead of water and is much richer. The Namanigori has a Nihonshudo (SMV) of -40. It has a lactic aroma and a milkish-opaque appearance; it is very effervescent and bubble, audibly so, and sweet with a pleasant and refreshing finish. Truly exquisite! The bottle (they come in 500ml and 1,800-ml bottles) has a vent hole in its cap and should not be shaken.

Another masterpiece crafted by Hirata. This is the white version of the brewery's "Heron" series: overwhelming nose of green apples, creamy and smooth texture, with a fruity sweetness that melts into savoury bitterness and finishes in refreshing sourness. This sake is silky as satin.

Vibrant and effervescent, this is a fresh and young sake with a sweet aroma and fungi-like notes mid-palate. Mild, gentle, with refreshing acidity, harmonious and elegant.

The Hiro Black pertains to Hirata's divine "Flying Heron" (Hiro) series. This Junmai Daiginjo has a fruity and refreshing aroma of green
apples, a bit reminiscent of a chablis. Very mild approach with notes of blueberries, and a slight bitterness mid-palate that melts into
reviving acidity. As is the case with all of Hirata's sake we have tried so far, it carries a delicate balance of sweet and sour.

We found Bandai Shuzō's Campfire crowdfunding campaign and immediately sympathised with their cause. Like many other sake breweries, Bandai's business had been severely slumping during the pandemic, with a lot of surplus waiting in the storehouses. They established that crowdfunding was one way to break the vicious circle of decreasing sake consumption, decreasing sake brewing, and decreasing profits. Bandai's campaign reaped one million JPY from 127 supporters and enabled the brewery to hire and train brewers and replace their ageing equipment. We ordered a bottle of their Junmai Daiginjō Jōtanbō Muroka Namashizuku, an unfiltered, unpasteurised sake made of local Fukunoka rice. I wish acquiring several of their bottles would have been an option. Golden in appearance, it has a fruity nose of strawberry, pineapple and banana and a viscous body. A sweet and gentle approach with spicy notes. Slightly herbal with soft bitterness mid-palate; lingering refreshing finish. Luxurious and gorgeous.

Hakutaka's imperial sake is made of Yamadanishiki milled to 70 per cent. The sake is as impressive as its history: the official sake of the Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture, one of Japan's most sacred Shintō shrines. Far from solemn, we found it hidden on a top shelf at our local supermarket. The Goryō Sakagura Junmaishu comes in 180ml, 300ml, and 500ml bottles.

Truth be told, it knocked our socks off! It has a rich and robust flavour with notes of dried fruits; a viscous texture that is silky, almost creamy; well-rounded with an outstanding balance of sweetness and gentle acidity. It is moderately dry and carries a soft mouthfeel with a long finish resplendent in a fabulous umami. We had it at room temperature. This sake is literally divine!

Daishinshū's Betsugakoi Junmai Ginjō Bangaihin Nama is absolutely divine. We had no second thoughts when awarding it five stars. Bangaihin is a blend of Junmai Daiginjo and Junmai Ginjo, which explains why there are no detailed specifications on the back label.
It has a phenomenal nose of blueberries and white grapes: smooth texture, almost creamy, well-rounded, sweet mid-palate with slight acidity and subtle notes of alcohol; it boasts a wide range of flavours. Elegant and slightly peppery finish. Utterly impressed!

We bought it directly at the brewery. The staff was very accommodating and patiently presented their entire product line. In hindsight, we should have bought a second bottle.

The Hiro Shiboritate is limited to three-hundred bottles a year. We were lucky to visit the brewery store while it was still in stock. It has a lush fruity nose of strawberry, apple and pear compote. Rich, medium-bodied, slightly dry with intense notes of apple and pear, a nice fruity sweetness mid-palate and a sour and refreshing finish. A veritable elixir.

Daishinshu's Kantsubaki is a jewel. It's only available at the brewery store in Matsumoto and is part of Daishinshu's "Flower Series" (花シリーズ). Kantsubaki has a nose of apples and strawberries. Dry, with a lovely spiciness and a delicate balance of fruity sweetness and acidity. Its slight effervescence creates a tingling sensation mid-palate. It is quite strong. The brewery does not disclose any specs, but we can disclose it's heavenly!

Takayama Junmai Daiginjo is one of Hirata's top sake. The name "Takayama" refers to the old castle mountain, nowadays known as "Shiroyama". It has an elegant, fruity nose with floral accents. Refreshing and solid sweetness, paired with moderate acidity, renders this well-balanced junmai daiginjo an unforgettable delight.

This is an aged sake with a golden, almost amber-like hue crafted according to the kimoto method. This traditional technique was developed around 1700 and was the most orthodox way to brew sake. Cultivating yeast in a small tank before fermentation in a larger tank is called moto or shubo. The kimoto process takes three times longer than usual, resulting in excellent yeast. Rikishi Junmai Ginjo is made of a rice variety grown in Saitama, Sake Musashi. It is matured for up to two years. It has an intensive nose of dried fruits and herbs, a thick, creamy texture with bitter notes, and a flavour reminiscent of dried fruits and molasses. Indeed not everyone's (sake) taste, but the contrast of spiciness and mellowness is exceptional.

Sometimes, it's only fair to revisit the odd sake and set things straight. While we uphold our first review of Endo's Betsuatsura, we were pleasantly surprised when we tried it this time: while definitely mild and light-bodied, we did not find it as thin as the first time. It has a subtle but elegant taste and makes for a fabulous food sake.

Fruity nose with floral notes; sweet flavour with a good balance of tanginess and acidity. Well-rounded, with a spicy and alcoholic finish. We are growing fond of Hidahomare.

Clear, with a straw-coloured appearance and a slightly high viscosity. Fruity nose (melon, pear, banana) with herbal notes. Herbal flavours with hints of mint, nutmeg, and spices. Mild on the palate with moderate sweetness spreading; medium body. Very elegant and well-balanced, with a soft finish.

Intense nose of dried fruits and turpentine. A classic Niigata tanrei, mild and gentle with a good balance of sweetness and bitterness. Long finish with a sour tingle.

Fruity nose of figs with hints of dried fruits and caramel. Rich, earthy, highly viscous, moderate sweetness mid-palate with a refreshing finish of lingering citric acidity.

Hirata's Gokukarakuchi Tokubetsu Junmai Hidanohana is remarkable in many ways. Gokukarakuchi translates to "extremely dry", which is not an exaggeration considering its nihonshudo of a staggering +17! It has a fruity nose of apples and pears with distinct notes of spiciness. An epitome of dryness, it is sharp and spicy mid-palate, with sweet overtones reminiscent of blueberries followed by a tsunami of sourness and a spicy, citric finish. Lingering acidity. Very unique and probably well paired with deep-fried seafood. For sake, quite strong at 18%. Even if you are not a friend of karakuchi flavour, this is one to try.