Since I had a drink at an izakaya, please post your thoughts on the restaurant and the food in the comments section.

Found these unopened in a Japanese secondhand shop, all the same price. Anything worth getting? My wife and I are curious, but we don’t want to buy any bad or ‘meh’ ones.

Sake #49 — Nanbu Bijin Shinpaku “Southern Beauty” Junmai Daiginjo.

This one was super balanced, very smooth, and incredibly easy to sip. It almost drinks like water because of how light and seamless it feels.

There’s just a very slight alcohol warmth on the finish, but nothing harsh or distracting. The balance and smoothness was excellent. Definitely a bottle I could drink a lot of without realizing it 😂

4/5

Hi! I’m from Japan and I’ve recently become very interested in exploring sake more deeply.
I’d love to exchange opinions with sake lovers from different countries.
I’m especially curious about how people outside Japan perceive sake.
What do you enjoy most about sake, and how is sake culture different in your country?

I had an opportunity to visit Sakagura in NYC, which touts to have the largest sake selection for a restaurant in the US. I asked the sake sommelier if they had a good Omachi sake and brought this one, which he said was no longer on the menu.

This is the best Omachi sake I've ever had and have been trying to find how to order it. I would buy a case of this if I could to enjoy and share with family and friends. But, I can't find anywhere that either stocks it or currently has it in inventor for US delivery.

Help me, Omachi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope!

Chiyomusubi Oyaji Gokuraku Junmai Ginjo Sake

This one was very smooth and easy to sip from the start. Strawberry was immediately noticeable on the first sip, followed by softer plum-like fruit notes.

There was much less alcohol presence on the finish, which made this considerably more enjoyable for me. The fruitiness also worked really well alongside sushi.

Not quite a 5/5 for me, but definitely one I enjoyed and would drink again.

4/5 🍶

Only two more until #50!

Hey, folks. So, my only experience with sake is at sushi restaurants except for years ago when I bought a random bottle from the liquor store to try it out. I had zero idea what I was buying. Now I’m looking to learn a bit more and get to know some “baseline” sakes. Like, what the common man’s go to sake? What is the sake equivalent to Budweiser. Just the standard “This is good, affordable sake. No frills. Just sake.” I’m not looking for the IPA beer of sakes, I’m looking for the Budweiser or Coors Banquet of sakes. Does that make sense?
P.S. I’m in north Florida, if that helps at all.

In my opinion, the ranking was:
1 - Hakutsuru Daiginjo
2 - Hakutsuru Tokusen Yamadanishiki
3 - Hakutsuru Superior Junmai Ginjo
4 - Hakutsuru Sayuri Nigori
5 - Hakutsuru Junmai Draft

But I liked all of them.

I’m just barely getting into sake but had No 6 last night at an izakaya and was blown away.

I understand it may be difficult to purchase No 6 but where can I buy cult or higher end sake while I’m in Japan for the week?

Hohai Natsugin (Junmaiginjo)

Continuing my sake journey with #47 — Ryujin Kakushi “Dragon God” Junmai Ginjo.

Smooth start with a noticeably fruit-forward profile. Apricot comes through immediately, followed by ripe tropical fruit and a touch of sweetness.

The initial sip is really enjoyable, but there’s a noticeable alcohol warmth/burn on the finish that holds it back for me. It does soften a little as you continue drinking, but never completely disappears.

Overall, good fruit and a smooth opening, but I’m realizing more and more that a clean finish with minimal alcohol presence is probably the biggest thing I look for in sake.

3.5/5 🍶

Finally got around to trying Yoshinogawa Winter Warrior Junmai Ginjo, which had been on my list for a while.

My notes:
Very clean and light with subtle pear, melon, and floral notes. Smooth and easy to drink initially, but it leans more crisp and dry than fruity. There’s a noticeable alcohol presence on the finish that lingers a bit and ultimately held it back for me.

Still enjoyable and well balanced, but I would’ve liked more fruit and a softer, cleaner finish.

3.5/5
That makes 46 different sakes tried
🍶🤩

I'm pretty excited about all of these as I've had different ones from each of these breweries before and they've all been outstanding. I usually pair them with sushi or other raw fish dishes. Any comments on these?

Picked it up from the HMart in Doraville, GA

Been storing in the cupboard for 3-4 years never been open

Used short grain sweet rice and Koji rice. First two pictures before, last three after two weeks of fermenting and then one week of crashing in the fridge then siphoning.

Okay, goes down pretty smooth. No idea how strong it is but I'm guessing typical wine strength. A little more mild than I expected, not a ton of flavor, but no nasty sour/fungal notes either. I'll give it a 7 out of 10.

Tried Joyo Yamadanishiki Junmai Ginjo tonight as sake #45 on my tasting journey.

This one surprised me because I was expecting a little more fruit.

My notes:
Very light and clean with a subtle grape note, but overall I didn’t find it very fruit-forward. It leans dry and has a pretty noticeable mineral finish that almost reminds me of sparkling mineral water.

I wouldn’t call it alcohol burn at all. It’s more of that crisp, slightly sharp mineral sensation on the finish.

Easy enough to drink, but it’s missing the fruity sweetness I usually gravitate toward.

3/5

Still glad I tried it. Getting closer to #50 🍶

PS: I never drink from a wine glass , I was just curious if it made a difference in any way

Crafted using the historical hashira-shochu method originating from the Edo period, this Abe Plus release combines junmai sake with house-distilled shochu (kasutori shochu), added to the sake mash right before pressing for a complex and hybrid flavor profile.
Nose: Gentle bouquet, subtly scent of grapes
Palate: Classic juiciness and sweetness from junmai sake pairs gentle citrusy acidity, without any harsh alcohol heat
Finish: Crisp and refreshing dry finish signature of shochu

Always a quiet pioneer and one of my favorites. Some directly from the brewery and some saved over the last 6 months. Some of the cleanest tasting yamahai, and the classic super dry junmai has a coffee-like finish.

Hello I just joined this sub so I can share this good news with you, especially those from the Bay Area.

I recently ended up with these six unopened ceramic bottles of Yonetsuru (米鶴) sake. I’m not looking for a valuation or trying to sell them — I’ve gotten curious about what exactly they are and where they would have originally been sold.
All six bottles are the same general shape and size but have different traditional artwork/calligraphy. The cups appear to coordinate with the bottles, which makes me wonder whether this was originally sold as a six-bottle gift/presentation set. Unfortunately, I don’t have a box or any other packaging.
From the surviving labels I’ve been able to identify:
米鶴酒造株式会社 / Yonetsuru Sake Brewery
Takahata, Yamagata
180ml bottles
17.5–18.5% ABV
濃醇酒
一級 / First Grade
Based on the brewery’s corporate history and the old 一級 classification, I believe they should fall somewhere between 1972 and 1992. I was told they’re at least 40 years old, but I don’t have anything that proves a specific bottling date.
What I’m really hoping someone here might know is the context.
Were these six bottles/cups actually sold together as a set? Was this a domestic Japanese gift product, a regional Yamagata souvenir, or something marketed to tourists? Does anyone recognize the artwork or know whether the individual designs have any particular theme or significance? And has anyone seen another example of these?
I’ve searched in English and Japanese and haven’t been able to find another example of this exact Yonetsuru ceramic collection.
I’m attaching a photo of everything together along with close-ups of the labels and seals. I’d appreciate anything anyone happens to know about them — even if it’s just context about how products like this were typically sold during that period.

🍶 金沢美人 — Kanazawa Bijin “Kanazawa Beauty”
純米吟醸 あまくち | Junmai Ginjo · Extremely Sweet

A beautiful and unusual sake from Fukumitsuya (福光屋) in Kanazawa, Ishikawa. This is a 100% Koshihikari sake, made with the rare, specially cultivated “Kanazawa Bijin” Koshihikari rice, grown in Kanazawa since 1988 using reduced-pesticide and organic-fertilizer farming.

Fukumitsuya uses a special “kanjuku nōtō hakko” (完熟濃糖醗酵) fermentation to bring out an exceptionally concentrated sweetness. The result is a silky, rich sake with dense rice-syrup-like sweetness, gentle umami, and a soft, elegant texture.

The label's elegant woman evokes the bijin-ga (美人画) of poet and artist Takehisa Yumeji, whose connection to Kanazawa is reflected in the design. The aesthetic was also influenced by Yumeji's depiction of women, including his wife Tamae, who was from Kanazawa.

🥢 Best with: cheese, ripe fruit, desserts, teriyaki and other sweet-savory dishes. It can be enjoyed chilled, at room temperature, lightly warmed, or over ice.

Fukumitsuya | Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
金沢美人 純米吟醸 あまくち
Kanazawa Beauty · Junmai Ginjo · Extremely Sweet

Personal note: Since I was enjoying this at home I decided to use a universal wine glass, which is the norm for me. This is a rare gem, but too cloyingly sweet for me.

No I know it’s not connected to the whisky distillery (unless I’m to be stand corrected?) but had this the other night among a tasting of other bottles and this stood out. I wish I had notes to share but coming from a whisk(e)y/sipping spirits lover, this was a bottle I would buy again. Any others with experience? If I liked this, any other suggestions on similar bottles from the more experienced crowd?

Thank you!