Seafood Pairing
Brooklyn Kura's answer to the craft beer crowd. Occidental, meaning "of the West," is a single-yeast junmai that's dry-hopped with Citra hops after pressing. The hops give it a pale rosé-pink hue and an IPA-like aroma, while the sake underneath stays dry, light-bodied and dangerously easy to drink. As a nama chozo, it's stored unpasteurized and pasteurized just once at bottling, keeping it fresh and lively.
Tasting Notes
Grapefruit zest and plenty of tropical fruit on the nose, lifted by a hoppy, IPA-like note. On the palate, a touch of honey and bright citrus lead into a smooth, refreshing citrus finish.
Food Pairings
Made for richer, casual fare: burgers, onion rings or roast pork loin. Also great with cheese and seafood. Serve chilled at white wine temperature, ideally in a wine glass.
Specs
Classification: Junmai, Nama Chozo (dry-hopped)
Rice: Calrose (California)
Hops: Citra
Alcohol: 14%
Brewed in: Brooklyn, New York
Size: 750ml
Storage: keep chilled
The Brewery
Brooklyn Kura is New York State's first sake brewery, founded by Brian Polen and brewmaster Brandon Doughan. In their Industry City brewery they make koji by hand and brew with lightly filtered New York City water from the Ashokan Reservoir. For a more classic take, try their Tidal Junmai.
From Takara Sake's brewery in Berkeley, California comes MU|WA, a limited-release junmai brewed with California-grown Calrose rice, bottled undiluted at 18% and then aged in bourbon barrels. The barrels layer baking spice and oak over a rich, fruit-forward sake, making this a natural bridge for bourbon and whiskey lovers.
Tasting Notes
Oak, warm spice and baked fruit come up first on the nose. The palate is rich and round, with spiced apple and ripe peach folded into a creamy, custard-like sweetness, plus a touch of toasted coconut, stewed plum and roasted rice in the background. The texture is velvety and the finish lingers with a gentle warmth. Picture a lightly oaked California Chardonnay with a splash of bourbon.
Serve chilled (around 50°F), or gently warmed (around 90°F) to coax out more of the spice and oak.
Food Pairings
A great after-dinner sipper, or set out a board of roasted nuts, dried apricots and aged Manchego. With dinner, reach for richer dishes like grilled steak, roast chicken, lobster with drawn butter or seared mahi-mahi. It even holds its own with dessert, especially anything with caramel or baked apple.
Specs
Classification: Junmai (Genshu, bourbon barrel aged)
Rice: Calrose (California)
Polishing Ratio: 70%
Alcohol: 18%
Brewed in: Berkeley, California
Size: 720ml
Certified kosher and gluten free
The Brewery
Takara Sake USA brews in Berkeley as the American arm of Kyoto's Takara Shuzo, the makers of Sho Chiku Bai and the Sparkling Mio already on our shelves. MU|WA is their craft collection, where Takara's brewers experiment beyond traditional styles.
Billed by the brewery as the original Niigata dry sake, Kikusui Karakuchi is the bottle behind the region's famously crisp, clean style. This honjozo is brewed with 100% Niigata-grown rice polished to 70%, giving a sharp, snappy dryness carried by solid umami. It's an everyday sake in the best sense: reliable, food-friendly and always welcome at the table.
Tasting Notes
A subtle nose of steamed rice and minerals with a faint herbal edge. On the palate it's light and crisp, with a firm dry backbone and a layer of savory rice flavor before a quick, clean finish. Chilled, it stays bright and lean. Gently warmed, it turns rounder and creamier while the dryness sharpens, which is why it took Gold in Japan's 2026 National Kanzake (warm sake) Contest for the third year running.
Food Pairings
Equally at home with light and bold flavors. Serve chilled with sashimi, oysters and salt-grilled fish, or warm alongside yakitori (shio or tare), grilled meats, oden and hot pot.
Specs
Classification: Honjozo
Rice: 100% Niigata-grown (Gohyakumangoku)
Polishing Ratio: 70%
Sake Meter Value: +7
Acidity: 1.3
Alcohol: 15%
Prefecture: Niigata
Size: 720ml
Serving: on the rocks, chilled, room temperature or warm
The Brewery
Founded in 1881 in Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture, Kikusui Shuzo is one of the best-known names in Niigata sake. Karakuchi carries the brewery's "kurabito suisho" mark, meaning it's a personal favorite of Kikusui's own brewers. If you enjoy it, try its more aromatic sibling, the Kikusui Junmai Ginjo.
From Brooklyn Kura in Industry City, Brooklyn, comes a junmai that is unmistakably American at heart: Tidal, brewed with 100% Calrose rice grown in California. The name nods to the rise and fall of the tides and the pull between land and sea. Two modern junmai are blended and bottled undiluted at 17%, giving a medium-bodied, dry sake with plenty of lively, punchy energy.
Tasting Notes
The nose opens clean and fresh, with ripe pear, honeydew melon and a whiff of steamed rice. On the palate, a savory, gently umami core carries the fruit through a medium body that stays dry from start to finish, closing on a crisp, mineral finish that resets the palate for the next bite.
Food Pairings
An easy partner at the table. Serve chilled (ideally in a wine glass) with sushi and sashimi, raw oysters, grilled fish, tempura, dumplings or roast chicken. Also a great match for soft, creamy cheeses.
Specs
Classification: Junmai
Rice: 100% Calrose (California)
Sake Meter Value: +3
Alcohol: 17%
Brewed in: Brooklyn, New York
Size: 750ml
The Brewery
Brooklyn Kura is New York State's first sake brewery, started by Brian Polen and brewmaster Brandon Doughan after a trip to Japan turned them into sake fans. Following years of experimenting and training alongside Japanese brewers, they opened their Industry City brewery and taproom in 2018. Koji is still made by hand on site, and every batch is brewed with New York City water from the Ashokan Reservoir and American-grown rice: Japanese technique, American ingredients. For something more adventurous, try their dry-hopped Occidental.
The seemingly effortless harmony so characteristic of Yamahai sake is present in Tengumai's masterful brew. Gorgeous pale straw pour, with a funky mushroom nose to match the acidic, dry and earthy first impression. While savoring the buttery mouthfeel, one may even notice hints of walnut bread and honeyed mead. When chilled, the more floral notes come into play.
Enjoyable at all serving temperatures but recommended to warm up!
Kanchiku Junmai Daiginjo is an elegant sake produced by Totsuka Shuzo, a historic brewery founded in 1653 in Nagano Prefecture. Its name, “Kanchiku,” meaning “winter bamboo,” symbolizes both grace and resilience.
Kanchiku is made from locally grown Miyamanishiki rice polished down to 49% and pure spring water from the Yatsugatake Mountains. The combines natural purity and centuries-old brewing tradition. Slow fermentation and low temperatures results in a refined expression, balancing delicate aromas with a clean, polished taste that highlights the craftsmanship.
On the nose, Kanchiku Junmai Daiginjo reminds of sweet botan rice candy, leading into a richer palate. It continues with a similar chewiness of botan rice and then refreshing acidity. The finish is light and vibrant, making it a versatile partner for richly flavored dishes like fatty fishes, hams, where its richer character cuts through savory-sweet profiles.
Enjoy it slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Hyaku Moku Alt 3 is a special sake as it’s an unusual combination of several genshu (original strength) brewed from high quality yamada nishiki rice by a master blender. This makes for, despite the genshu origins, an exceptionally well balanced sake that’s both full bodied and slightly brighter than their Hyaku Moku Junmai Ginjo equivalent.
There’s also some slight fragrance of fuji apple and muscat.
Tamanohikari’s Junmai Daiginjo holds a special place in my heart. Why? it’s one of the first sakes that made me take a step back and think—“Wow, is this really what sake should taste like?”
Based out of Fushimi in Kyoto, Tamanohikari makes a stunner of a daiginjo. As you smell the sake in the glass, an aromatic perfume of flowers, melon, passion fruit, and a touch of coconut spring up. When tasting, it also presents a delicate but fatty texture with a hint of melon on the palate.
Beginners and seasoned sake lovers will enjoy Tamanohikari’s Junmai Daiginjo. It goes well on its own and can pair alongside richer foods.
Think of Kikusui Junmai Ginjo as that stalwart friend who you can always call up in a moment’s notice and won’t let you down. This junmai ginjo an all-around good sake with medium body, a classic taste and short finish that lets the food pairing do most of the talking. We’ll also get light citrus notes on the nose.
Kikusui Junmai Ginjo is for those looking for an easy choice that will pair with most foods. Serve chilled with fish, white meats or vegetables.
The original romance. While I was at my first sake tasting, I knew I was coming across a special brewery after shaking hands with the slick, pomade hair-styled owner.
True to the name, Born Gold by Katoukichibe Shouten is an outstanding daiginjo with a translucent golden hue. Look for notes of fruity melon on the nose, a rounded body and Asian pear on the palate.
Born Gold is a tasty and elegant sake. It’s good for beginners and seasoned tasters alike, in a bottle that’s impressive to look at too. Serve chilled, with fish or on its own.
We’re proud to feature this Junmai Ginjo sake handcrafted by Nobuko Inaba for a few reasons. One—she’s one of the few female head brewers in Japan; two—it’s simply an all-around premium sake that will impress even those who are new to sake.
Minanogawa showcases fragrant aromas including ripe lychees and bananas. There’s also a soft texture with a hint of strawberry on the palate. Countless customers are consistently impressed with this sake’s elegant profile.
What does “snow aged” mean? If you can believe it, it means exactly that: sake stored for years in a snow-filled room. The end result of the aging process is that Hakkaisan Snow Aged 3 Years Junmai Ginjo is a stellar sake with a richness, full body and structure to enjoy on its own, with red meats or with rich foods. This is the bottle to get to impress even seasoned sake lovers.
Stella by Inaba Shuzo is a highly coveted sake that head brewer, Nobuko Inaba, only makes very limited quantities of. Hand brewed with pure spring water from Mt. Tsukuba in Japan’s Ibaraki prefecture, this sake is gentle, clean and has vibrant fruit notes. When you taste Stella it becomes no wonder that it has won medals from national sake awards ceremonies and IWC (International Wine Challenge).
This is a more refined version of Kikumasamune’s Hyaku Moku. Similar to their junmai ginjo, this junmai daiginjo is made with 100% Yamada Nishiki grown in Hyogo Prefecture but grounded to a 39% rich polishing ratio.
As a result, Hyaku Moku daiginjo is has a slightly richer profile with excellent balance of acidity and dryness. There are tropical fruit tones like juicy lychee and subtle hints of strawberry.
This one is a real special Daiginjo sake from brewery Take no Tsuyu, which is based out of Yamagata prefecture in northeastern Japan. Called “Hakuro Suishu”, the small production sake is meticulously hand crafted and has notes of fragrant sweet, ripened fruit with an exceptionally balanced profile. There’s also a softness to its texture characteristic of the Yamagata region.
The sake can be served chilled on its own or with food like beef, pork, fried foods.
This is a special bottle. Kikusui Junmai Daiginjo is made from Kikusui rice, which was a nearly extinct rice strain until the company brought it back from no more than 25 remaining seeds.
The effect of using Kikusui rice is a remarkable sake. It produces a distinct pineapple Hi-Chew-like aroma. It has medium body with balanced acidity, and overall dry to off-dry. Recommended to have this served chilled for a fuller body and better integration of these characteristics!
Are you planning on having a full flavored dinner? Say--spicy Chinese food or fried cajun or something of the like. Then, this is your sake to pair it with.
Wakatake Onikoroshi Junmai Daiginjo doesn't have the same fruity characteristics as some of its peers; maybe just a bit of ripe tropical or concentrated honeydew, if anything. What it does have instead is a dry profile, and short-to-medium finishand a touch higher alcohol content that demands to be alongside food.
Grab some San Tung dried fried chicken or some hot pot or ribs, and do that with this sake. It'll be fantastic.
Imagine a room filled with snow all year round, then some of the best, well produced sake is placed inside and aged for 8 years. That's essentially what Hakkaisan has done here where they have kept a special snow-filled room called a yukimuro at constant temperature in order to gently condition the sake in order to develop complex layers of flavor.
With this sake, we can get toasted rice notes, alongside a crisp, elegant and clean profile. Exceptionally well balanced. Offer this as a gift for your sake-loving friends or open up for a special occasion. You'll love this bottle.
Kikusui's Junmai Daiginjo Sakamai Genshu is a mouthful to say aloud, but speaks volumes when you want to give it as a gift or to serve for special occasions.
This daiginjo is made with a rare and almost extinct sake rice, the eponymous kikusui rice. The kikusui rice species is originally from Niigata prefecture and only had 25 individual grains left. With the partnership between local agricultural associations and farmers, the rice was able to be cultivated once again for making small batches of sake.
The result is a sake with an exceptionally crafted sake. It has a dry profile, elegant aroma (reminiscent of fresh apple) and rich flavor. The texture is perfectly rounded too. As a genshu with its slightly higher alcohol content, you'll get a more mature and mellower characteristic.
From Shimaoka Shuzo in Ota City, Gunma Prefecture, comes an unabashedly traditional yamahai junmai made for the dinner table. Labeled chotokusen ("super special selection"), it is the brewery's top junmai: locally grown Wakamizu rice polished to 50%, far beyond what a junmai requires, brewed by the slow, labor-intensive yamahai method and matured for a rich, mellow character. The result is a light-bodied yet concentrated sake that truly comes alive when warmed.
Tasting Notes
It pours a shimmering pale gold, with a deep, earthy nose of rich, loamy soil. Chilled, it is clean and quietly reserved, with a hint of roasted carrot and a short, dry finish. Shochu fans will find something familiar here. Warm it up and the sake opens: the flavor grows more expressive and spreads across the palate while staying light and easy to drink. We strongly recommend serving it warm, ideally in a ceramic cup.
Food Pairings
A true food sake for traditional Japanese cooking and cold winter nights. Our favorite match is oden with a dab of sharp karashi mustard: picture a narrow standing bar, a friend or two, and a warm cup before heading home. Also excellent with chanko nabe and other hearty stews, dried squid, shime saba with shiso leaf, and nigiri like squid, ikura and tobiko. Earthy root-vegetable dishes work beautifully too. Best poured with the meal, a few bites in.
Specs
Classification: Junmai, Yamahai (Chotokusen)
Rice: Wakamizu (grown in Gunma)
Polishing Ratio: 50%
Sake Meter Value: +3
Acidity: 1.7
Alcohol: 15.5%
Serving: warm (recommended), room temperature or chilled
Prefecture: Gunma
Size: 720ml
Note: the US importer's back label reads "Junmai Daiginjo Genshu." The brewery classifies this sake as a junmai.
The Brewery
Founded in 1863, Shimaoka Shuzo is a small, family-run kura in Ota City, in eastern Gunma, brewing about 500 koku a year under the Gunma Izumi label. Today it is led by Toshinobu Shimaoka, the sixth generation of his family, who serves as both president and toji. After working for a company in Tokyo, he studied brewing at Japan's national brewing research institute in Hiroshima before returning home to take over the kura. Since its founding, the brewery has made nearly everything by the traditional yamahai method, relying on natural lactic acid bacteria that live in the brewery itself; those house cultures even survived a fire in 2006. Relatively hard spring water from Mount Akagi gives the sake its round texture and helps it age gracefully, and most bottlings rest one to two years before release, which brings depth and the brewery's signature golden hue.
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