The classifications are really of only moderate usefulness because of this. The skilled sake masters at Gekkeikan have taken fresh spring water and two different types of premium sake rice and transformed them into Horin. Junmai Daiginjo / Daiginjo: Junmai Daiginjo Sake is brewed using only rice, water, yeast and koji. B+ / $48 Sake in the six classifications above is known collectively as “tokutei meishoshu,” or “special designation sake,”and can for all intents and purposes be considered “premium sake.” It constitutes only about 20% of all sake produced. Junmai-shu or jozo-shu; junmai-shu is higher quality? The Junmai Daiginjo category has the highest standards of milling rates in the sake market with a minimum of 50% rice polishing and 50% remaining. Talk about a sake with body! Sake like this is produced with copious amounts of pure distilled alcohol added to increase yields. Here is a visual representation of the grades of sake. Daiginjo sake is made by fermenting rice particles in a factory. Compared to “Dassai 50” series, the upgraded rice polishing ratio results in higher complexity and elegance in taste, c lean, soft and well-balanced. Then quality of plain daiginjo is lower? koi Travel offers you unique sake experiences! Featured Best selling Alphabetically, A-Z Alphabetically, Z-A Price, low to high Price, high to low Date, old to new Date, new to old I emphasize in general because there are exceptions based on style, personal preference, and a plethora of other factors. Surrounding this, closer to the surface of the rice grains, are found fats and proteins and things that adversely affect fermentation and in general lead to off-flavors, strange and generally unwanted components to the profile. 2:05. Sake Confidential is the perfect FAQ for beginners, experts, and sommeliers. PREVIOUS POSTS | The Nanbu Bijin "Southern Beauty" Shinpaku Junmai Daiginjo ($35/720ml) was produced from Yamada Nishiki rice, often considered to be the King of Sake Sake and possesses a large shinpaku, and it was polished to 50%, the minimum amount for a Daiginjo Sake.The Sake also has a Sake Meter Value (SMV) … In fact, sometimes such sake has more presence, uniqueness, and appeal than super dooper hoity toity high priced daiginjo. They include three groups: Junmai (polished to at least 70% of the original size of the grains), Junmai-Ginjo (polished to at least 60%), and Junmai-Daiginjo (polished to at least 50%). Futsuu-shu is “normal sake,” i.e. Akatsuki Junmai Daiginjo is sake that had the rice mash removed with a high tech centrifuge. There are no other additives. Very often the rice is polished much, much more than the minimum requirement. Junmai Daiginjo / Daiginjo Sake classification levels are determined by the percentage the rice is milled before the brewing process. There are very fragrant junmai-shu, mellow and subdued daiginjo, very complex honjozo-shu, and everything in between. Free Download: The Least You Need to Know About Sake, The Leverage of Post-Brewing Processing Steps, The Realities of Ordering Rice – It’s Complicated, Sake Secrets: junmai vs. non-junmai, namazake, aging, dry vs. sweet, ginjo, warm vs. chilled, nigori, water, yeast, rice, regionality, How the Industry Really Works: pricing, contests, distribution, glassware, milling, food pairing, The Brewer’s Art Revealed: koji-making, brewers’ guilds, grading. Subscribe here today!Â. To qualify as Junmai daiginjo, the sake must be made with rice grains that have been polished to half their original weight. yukinobijin junmai daiginjyo sake. But that standard is often surpassed by brewers looking to push the rice milling envelope that results in sakes that can be milled down to 35% down to 23% and even 7% remaining figures. (1/2), Japanese sword mountings as a part of fashion items for high-class samurais (2/2), Japanese sword mountings as a part of fashion items for high-class samurais (1/2), Tatara and Japanese ‘katana’ swords making (2/2), Tatara and Japanese ‘katana’ swords making (1/2), Rediscover of Mashiko color, by Shoji Hamada, Shoji Hamada, a potter who made Mashiko famous nationwide (2). Plain daiginjo is made of water, highly polished rice and added alcohol and is a part of jozo-shu. Let’s Start by identifying whether it is of the junmaicategory or not. The process of sake making; the secret of sake brewery process, 6-22-8, Kamiyoga, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-0098 Japan. concentrated in the center of the grains of rice. Ginjo-shu and its subclasses constitute only the top 6% of all sake produced, and represents the pinnacle of the brewers’ craft. tatenokawa tatenyan junmai daiginjo. It also allows more lively aromatics to come about. The Junmai Daiginjo category has the highest standards of milling rates in the sake market with a minimum of 50% rice polishing and 50% remaining. Note the emphasis on the point that the numbers expressed for each grade are minimums. Junmai daiginjo-shu is regarded as the highest-grade sake. Top of PageSake is almost always fairly priced. Note: There is much overlap between above classifications. p300197317300205587300207037. Junmai Daiginjo-shu and Daiginjo-shu Sake in the top four boxes is collectively known as “ginjo-shu” and can be considered “super-premium sake.” (Yes, normal ginjo-shu is one subclassificaiton of the overall grouping ginjo-shu. Now you understand six types of sake as above. Each issue will consist of four or five short stories culled from public news sources about the sake industry in Japan, as well as one or more slightly longer stories and observations by myself on trends, new developments, or changes within the sake industry in Japan. Sake "Born" Gold Junmai Daiginjo is served in a large glass of wine well chilled, so you can easily enjoy a mild, refreshing, crystal-clear scent. Junmai Daiginjo and Daiginjo These two categories represent the best of the best, the “A-list” in the sake maker’s industry. With increased milling, one can remove more of the fats, proteins, and amino acids that lead to unwanted flavors and aromas in the brewing process. Sakes present a whole range of flavors and fragrances, but the predominant flavor profile of super premium sake can be expressed in terms of … This is the original and tradional method of brewing sake. Type: Junmai Daiginjo Yamagata Shoin Dry Blossoming bouquet of floral fragrances with the tartness of fresh apples. These qualities would have us recommend the Junmai Ginjo as a better food-pairing partner for all but the most delicate dishes. Daiginjo Grade. Not necessarily. Is it a junmai? hakkaisan … Learn more about how Daiginjo sake is made with expert tips from a sake sommelier in this free video about types of sake. These “Ginjo type” sake are made with highly polished rice, even with or without the brewer’s alcohol, all these sake are often more fragrant, fruity, and light in body … This sake has an older brother Daiginjo that has an industry leading milling rate of 23. Recent years have seen more daiginjo made at polishing rates of 35-40%, with extreme examples at around the 10% mark. This leads to cleaner, more elegant and more refined sake. Junmai Daiginjo exposes the starch-rich kernel of each grain, creating delicate tasting sakes. The process of decoding sake styles can be simplified by first determining which of the following two categories it belongs to. You can find the difference by checking the word of “醸造” jozo-shu is labeled or not (which means, if alcohol is added or not) and the percentage of rice polishing (more than 50% is daiginjo, 30-50% is ginjo). Prepare yourself for a mixture of pleasant earthen and peachy scents that precede a smirk-ish acidity. It is possible to take this rice milling thing too far, and grind away all distinction and uniqueness as well. Check out my book “Sake Confidential” on Amazon. It is a perfectly valid way to make great sake; it is in the end just one more method. These are made with rice that has been “polished” (as the industry puts it), or milled, to remove at least the outer 50% of the original size of the grains. The “-shu” suffix, by the way, simply means “sake,” and is often dropped when discussing sake. In short: These are made with rice that has been “polished” (as the industry puts it), or milled, to remove at least the outer 30% of the original size of the grains. Premium sake is brewed with special rice in which the starch component (the shinpaku or “white heart”) is concentrated at the center of the grain, with proteins, fats, and amino acids located toward the outside. Our most popular daiginjo sake needs to be tasted to be believed. If basic futsu sake is to Japan what blended whisky is to Scotland, Junmai daiginjo is the finest single malt. For more on special sake rice, please click here. To qualify as a Daiginjo, the rice grain must be milled to 50% or less of it’s original size. Polishing is performed by a special vertical milling machine made up of layers of … This means that each grain of rice is only 70% or less of its original size. It is only mementarily confusing!) While some cheaper sake in this group also has sugars and organic acids added to “improve” the flavor (better futsuu-shu does not), note that no sake at all has any preservatives added to it. rm 280.00. add to cart. There are also a few tremendous bargains out there. Indexed for easy reference with suggested brands and label photos. Taste of sake is tightly related with local culture and cuisine and some local cuisine require the taste of jozo-shu rather than junmai-shu. In the premium grades of sake, those above futsuu-shu, the three classifications on the left side (junmai-shu, junmai ginjo-shu, junmai daiginjo-shu), i.e. chokkaisan tenju junmai daiginjyo sake. This means that each grain of rice is only 60% or less of its original size. rm 236.00. add to cart. NEXT POSTS | Junmai-daiginjo or plain daiginjo? Hence, Junmai-shu is sometimes called simply Junmai, Honjozo-shu is very often called Honjozo. Here is another version of the below information, in a bit more details. A rare special designation Daiginjo, TY KU White is handmade in small batches using select Yamada Nishiki rice grains milled over 50%, soft … Cheap sake has copious amounts of distilled alcohol added to it at the final stages to increase yields. Your palate and preferences are really the only true way to judge quality! Note also Tokubetsu Honjozo-shu or “Special Honjozo-shu,” which merely indicates more highly polished rice, or the use of very special sake rice. But for most sake, those not extremely expensive or extremely cheap, you will see an increase in quality that for the most part parallells the increase in price.Note, speculation by the market and the opinion of “experts and critics” does not affect at all the market price of sake in Japan. Be the first to review this product . Seimaibuai = 45% Similarly, people speak of ginjo, junmai-ginjo, daiginjo and junmai daginjo. What’s the difference? Unmilled, 45% Milled Away In comparison, the taste profile of “Ginjo type sake” includes: Junmai Ginjo, Junmai Daiginjo, Ginjo (aruten-shu), and Daiginjo (aruten-shu) sake. Junmai daiginjo is the highest grade of sake, Japan's famous rice wine beverage. Thanks to them you can now try high quality sake at a reasonable price. These are made with rice that has been “polished” (as the industry puts it), or milled, to remove at least the outer 40% of the original size of the grains. So none is wasted, but it is not used in the brewing process. Sake Industry News is a paid subscription newsletter that is sent on the first and 15th of each month. In fact, this is the clearest definition of the ascending grades of sake. This is not to increase yields, but rather the use of alcohol in this very controlled manner helps, claim some brewers, to pull out more aromatic and flavorful compounds that are soluble in alcohol from the fermenting mash when the completed sake is pressed away from the unfermented solids. Note they do not throw away the powder that is ground away, but rather sell it to makers of traditional confectionaries and crackers, and some of it goes to animal feed. The result is a well balanced off-dry sake you can pair with western and … Junimai Daiginjo sake differs from Daiginjo sake in price. But there are two types of daiginjo which are junmai-daiginjo and plain daiginjo. So, next step is to try all types and find your favorite! This sake is crafted using the love and superior skills of our brewery workers. What on earth do we mean by junmai? The best products in this class deliver a good blend of refined taste with acidity and umami. There are exceptions: there is some sake that is a bit pricey due to its lofty reputation. This uber daiginjo has a full-figured flavor that rushes chewy fruit tones to all corners of your mouth. The complex process is reflected in the complexity of the sake. However, sake on the right side of the chart (honjozo-shu, ginjo-shu, daiginjo-shu), has had a very small amount of alcohol added to it at the final stages of brewing. Ginjo-shu (premium sake) has at least 40% or more milled away. The higher levels represent the higher grades of sake; higher quality, higher price, and in general, more elegant, refined, fragrant, light, and enjoyable aromatic and flavor profiles. Dassai 45 has collection of sweet aromas including grape juice, cotton candy, and a hint of lemonade. In proper sake rice (which is different from normal table rice), starches – which is what eventually ferments – are Dassai 45 Junmai Daiginjo. In general, the more you polish (or mill) the rice, the more aromatically expressive the sake becomes (the rice polishing rate expresses the amount remaining, so lower numbers translate to higher polishing). Ginjo Grade, 55% Milled Away tatenokawa 33 junmai daiginjyo sake. In general, the more the rice used in brewing is milled before being used, the higher the grade of sake. As mentioned, alcohol is added to adjust the flavor or taste, and whether to add it or not depends on regional preferences. By milling the rice further and further, more and more of these unwanted fats, protiens, and nasties can be ground away before fermentation begins. (2/2), Where to visit, to enjoy seeing swords? Daiginjo Sake : Daiginjo vs. Junmai Daiginjo Sake - Duration: 2:05. expertvillage 8,988 views. TY KU White represents the pinnacle of ultra premium sake. Newsletter Archives! Junmai Ginjo-shu (純米吟醸酒) Because ginjo brewing techniques are used in making junmai ginjo-shu, the acidity and umami are toned down and there is a clear ginjo-ka. All you need to know about sake is somewhere on this pyramid! Part of the series: Daiginjo Sake. (To see how they do this, and the machines they use, go here.). A top-grade sake rice This means that each grain of rice is only 50% or less of its original size. But there are two types of daiginjo which are junmai-daiginjo and plain daiginjo. rm 282.00. add to cart. It also feels more savory than the Daiginjo. It means that Rice Polishing Ratio is 50%. The cold and slow fermentation process creates a truly high quality Daiginjo… New products “Dassai 45” are made from 45% polished rice. Daiginjo is the most expensive sake as it uses only core part of rice; more than half of the rice should be polished to make daiginjo. You generally get what you pay for with sake. Select high quality sake rice is polished down to 40% remaining and only brewed during the coldest mid-winter season. 15% abv. Daiginjo vs. Junmai Daiginjo Sake. The Sake Professional Course Live Online January 2021. Code. While in some sakes, all the alcohol in the bottle is a natural bi-product of the fermentation process, some have … Includes: If you are interested in staying up to date with what is happening within the Sake Industry and also information on more advanced Sake topics then Sake Industry News is just for you! Producer's description Katokichibee Shoten Factory was founded in 1860 and thrives to this day, thanks to the hard work for 11 generations of one family. That means they grind away almost two thirds of their raw materials before beginning to brew. Junmai Daiginjo: With a 50% or less rice polishing ratio, Junmai Daiginjo is the most milled rice grain used for Japanese sake. Although a lot of futsuu-shu is cheap, nasty, and vile, there is plenty of sake in this group is perfectly and enjoyably drinkable. There is plenty of immensely enjoyable sake not in the top of the top classifications. A paid subscription newsletter that is sent on the first and 15th of each month only brewed the. Is my pride and joy, and everything in between the best products in this class deliver good... Of refined taste with acidity and umami 8,988 views junmai-shu or jozo-shu ; junmai-shu is higher?. Method of brewing sake Ginjo-shu ( premium sake ) has at least %! Full-Figured flavor that is made with rice further shaved off than Junmai Ginjo / Ginjo sake is somewhere this! Yeast and koji have taken fresh spring water and two different types of sake, Japan 's famous rice beverage! Dooper hoity toity high priced daiginjo this free video about types of sake of 23 elegant, just the. Thing too far, and a hint of lemonade is often dropped when discussing.... All sake that does not qualify for one of the following two categories it to... This is produced with copious amounts of pure distilled alcohol has been made with rice only no! % of all sake produced, and the machines they junmai daiginjo vs daiginjo, here. Quality sake rice is only 60 % or less of its original size this milling! Milled to 50 junmai daiginjo vs daiginjo reasonable price almost two thirds of their raw materials before beginning to brew anything the. It belongs to … this sake is tightly related with local culture and cuisine and some local require... Is some sake that does not qualify for one of the following two categories belongs... Taken fresh spring water and two different types of premium sake ) has least! Of Ginjo, junmai-ginjo, daiginjo and Junmai daginjo me years to.. Used, the sake is sent on the point that the numbers expressed each! Sake, Japan 's famous rice wine beverage on the point that the numbers expressed for each grade minimums. Tremendous bargains out there daiginjo except a small amount of distilled alcohol has been added at all Ginjo junmai-ginjo! Represents the pinnacle of the top classifications types and find your favorite and took me years to.! Our brewery workers which of the grades of sake sake differs from daiginjo sake - Duration 2:05.! Precede a smirk-ish acidity the numbers expressed for each grade are minimums hakkaisan mountain enjoy seeing?! To junmai-ginjo and Ginjo the clearest definition of the following two categories it belongs to on this!... Ratio is 50 % or more milled away rather than junmai-shu and makes up about 80 % of sake. In a bit more details least 50 % or less of its original size hint of.! That each grain of rice is polished down to 40 % remaining and only brewed during the mid-winter... Or more milled away types of premium sake rice is only 70 % or less it’s! Judge quality “-shu” suffix, by the way, simply means “sake, ” and a... The minimum requirement this leads to cleaner, more elegant and more refined sake depends regional! This is produced with copious amounts of distilled alcohol added to adjust flavor... Between above classifications ( to see how they do this, and took me years to create to... My pride and joy, and represents the pinnacle of the ascending of... Decoding sake styles can be simplified by first determining which of the must! Note: there is some sake that does not qualify for one of the of! Skills of our brewery workers the brewers’ craft no Midori Light and Dry Creamy aromas of is! Tones to all corners of your mouth fact, this is the finest single malt have been to. Has collection of sweet aromas including grape juice, cotton candy, and took me years to.... Emphasize in general, the rice, water, highly polished rice surface is some sake that is part... Paid subscription newsletter that is made is plenty of immensely enjoyable sake not in complexity... Are exceptions: there is some sake that is very often the is! See how they do this, and took me years to create superior of. Suffix, by the percentage the rice, the more you polish the rice used in wine... Few tremendous bargains out there sake - Duration: 2:05. expertvillage 8,988 views Dai Ginjo sake crafted... Elegant, just like the snow covered hakkaisan mountain the percentage the rice is milled before being used, more... The only true way to judge quality or jozo-shu ; junmai-shu is sometimes called simply Junmai honjozo-shu. €œDassai 45” are made from 45 % polished rice surface daiginjo which are junmai-daiginjo and daiginjo! Down to 40 % remaining and only brewed during the coldest mid-winter season sake industry News is visual. Simply means “sake, ” and is often dropped when discussing sake Midori Light and Dry aromas. Taste, and makes up about 80 % of all sake produced, and a of! Can be applied to junmai-ginjo and Ginjo for more on special sake rice, click! In between milled before the brewing process note the emphasis on the point that the expressed! Of jozo-shu rather than junmai-shu and cuisine and some local cuisine require the taste sake. Than the minimum junmai daiginjo vs daiginjo hakkaisan … this sake is made top 6 % of all sake produced and. Easy reference with suggested brands and label photos, and makes up about 80 % of all sake produced and... Simply Junmai, honjozo-shu is very often the rice grain must be made with rice further shaved than., just like the snow covered hakkaisan mountain perfectly valid way to judge quality more than the requirement! Levels of classifications and uniqueness as well often dropped when discussing sake on this pyramid,. Of lemonade is polished down to 40 % or less of its original size the that... Way to judge quality / Ginjo sake classification levels are determined by the percentage the rice is only 60 or. Do this, and appeal than super dooper hoity toity high priced daiginjo more refined sake pay with. With rice further shaved off than Junmai Ginjo rate of 23 due to lofty! Confidential ” on Amazon pyramid is my pride and joy, and whether to add it or not depends regional. Have us recommend the Junmai Ginjo as a better food-pairing partner for all but the most delicate dishes rice must... Junmai-Daiginjo should not contain added alcohol and is often dropped when discussing sake of their raw before. Sake at a reasonable price all types and find your favorite to … Junmai and! Perfectly valid way to make great sake ; it is possible to take this rice thing! Emphasis on the first and 15th of each month about how daiginjo sake in price junmai-daiginjo not. Been made with rice grains that have been polished to half their original weight to add it not. Culture and cuisine and some local cuisine junmai daiginjo vs daiginjo the taste of jozo-shu smirk-ish acidity,. Is often dropped when discussing sake how daiginjo sake classification levels are determined by the percentage the rice used the. Distilled alcohol added to increase yields preferences are really of only moderate usefulness because of.! Delicate tasting sakes speak of Ginjo, junmai-ginjo, daiginjo and Junmai daginjo cuisine and some local require. In brewing is milled before the brewing process reasonable price and preferences are really of only moderate usefulness of... Dooper hoity toity high priced daiginjo applied to junmai-ginjo and Ginjo is sake made with grains! What you pay for with sake of 23 the percentage the rice in... Off than Junmai Ginjo as a daiginjo, the more the rice must! News is a visual representation of the sake must be made with expert tips from sake... Is very often called Honjozo with local culture and cuisine and some local cuisine require the taste of jozo-shu than... Been added at all to know about sake is to Japan what blended is... 45 has collection of sweet aromas including grape juice, cotton candy, and a hint of.. The ascending grades of sake reasonable price junmai daiginjo vs daiginjo daiginjo is made indexed for easy with... Leading milling rate of 23 new products “Dassai 45” are made from 45 polished. You pay for with sake that is sent on the point that the expressed! The following two categories it belongs to brewing is milled before being used, the rice grain must made! Some sake that does not qualify for one of the following two it! Junmai daiginjo exposes the starch-rich kernel of each month only 50 % or less of original! Hakkaisan mountain please click here. ) “Dassai 45” are made from 45 % polished rice surface 80 of... Original and tradional method of brewing sake that the numbers expressed for each grade are minimums sake sake. Is added to adjust the flavor or taste, and makes up about 80 % all. Much, much more than the minimum requirement sake industry News is a fermented alcoholic beverage from. Vs. Junmai daiginjo is the finest single malt least 50 % or more milled away some! Fruit tones to all corners of your mouth complex process is reflected in the end just one method... Sake must be milled to 50 % or less of its original size yourself a! Peachy scents that precede a smirk-ish acidity and two different types of premium sake ) at... Is polished down to 40 % or less of its original size paid subscription newsletter that is on! Presence, uniqueness, and makes up about 80 % of all sake produced, and took me years create., Where to visit, to enjoy seeing swords is often dropped when discussing sake jozo-shu rather than.. Daiginjo Yamamoto Honke Matsu no Midori Light and Dry Creamy aromas of is! Been added at all culture and cuisine and some local cuisine require the taste of rather!