HONJOZO OR NON-JUNMAI SAKE IS SAKE WHERE AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE FERMENTATION PROCESS, THE BREWER MAY ADD A SMALL AMOUNT OF RICE SPIRIT TO THE SAKE IN ORDER TO ALTER THE FLAVOURS. THEY TEND TO BE MORE FRESH, MINERAL AND CLEAN ON THE PALATE THAN JUNMAI SAKE. THE POLISHING RATIOS ARE IDENTICAL TO THEIR JUNMAI SIBLINGS.
| BREWERY: | Kunimare Sake Brewery (Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan) |
|---|---|
| TYPE: | Sake (Futsushu) |
| ABV: | 15.5% |
| SIZE: | 720ml |
| RICE VARIETY: | N/A |
| POLISHING RATIO: | 65% |
| INGREDIENTS: | Rice, Koji, (Malted Rice), Brewer's Alcohol, Sugar |
| WHAT AN EXPERT SAYS: | Bold, round and fruity, with plenty of umami and spice. This is not a complex or imposing sake, but it is high quality; with elegance and purity. Would make a lovely warm sake. |
| BREWERY: | Kunimare Sake Brewery (Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan) |
|---|---|
| TYPE: | Sake (Futsushu) |
| ABV: | 15.4% |
| SIZE: | 300ml |
| POLISHING RATIO: | 65% |
| INGREDIENTS: | Rice, Koji (Malted Rice), Brewer's Alcohol, Sugar |
| BREWERY: | Kinmon Akita Sake Brewery Established 1939 (Akita Prefecture, Japan) |
|---|---|
| TYPE: | Sake (Honjozo) |
| ABV: | 15.5% |
| SIZE: | 720ml / 300ml / 100ml |
| RICE VARIETY: | Sake Rice Produced In Akita Prefecture |
| POLISHING RATIO: | 70% |
| INGREDIENTS: | Rice, Koji (Malted Rice), Brewer's Alcohol, Corn Syrup |
| WHAT AN EXPERT SAYS: | Spicy and pure, intensely mineral with hints of persimmon fruit and pure mountain stream water. Delicate and loveable; a classically styled sake from a brewery that is far from classic. | COMPLEXITY: | 4 |
| UMAMI: | 6 |
| FOOD MATCHING: | Fish, Sushi, Sashimi |
| BREWERY: | Kinmon Akita Sake Brewery Established 1939 (Akita Prefecture, Japan) |
|---|---|
| TYPE: | Sake (Honjozo) |
| ABV: | 14.5% |
| SIZE: | 720 ML/300ML/100ML |
| RICE VARIETY: | MENKOINA |
| POLISHING RATIO: | 70% |
| INGREDIENTS: | Rice, Koji (Malted Rice), Brewer's Alcohol |
| WHAT AN EXPERT SAYS: | Ripe and fresh apples on the nose, hints of an orchard with some herbs and leaves adding complexity. Clean and pure on the palate with a spiced apple and oak flavor on the finish. Long yet subtle with good freshness and purity. It has a long long finish that whilst never overpowering the palate keeps lingering and giving lots of pleasure. | COMPLEXITY: | 7 |
| UMAMI: | 6 |
| FOOD MATCHING: | Cheese, Cheddar, Chicken, Fish |
| BREWERY: | Kuze Sake Brewery Established 1786 (Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan) |
|---|---|
| TYPE: | Sake (Honjozo) |
| ABV: | 20% |
| SIZE: | 720ml |
| RICE VARIETY: | Choseimai |
| POLISHING RATIO: | 68% |
| INGREDIENTS: | Rice, Koji (Malted Rice), Brewer's Alcohol |
| WHAT AN EXPERT SAYS: | Intense and fruity on the nose, with hints of earth, leaves and peaches. Clean, pure and with a sweetness to the palate; some fire and spice from the elevated alcohol levels, but everything is balanced and in check. A long finish with subtle hints of mushroom and indian spices show hints that this will be superb with some bottle age. Again, fabulous already but will improve. Plenty of umami… spicy, dry and fiery! | COMPLEXITY: | 8 |
| UMAMI: | 9 |
| FOOD MATCHING: | Chicken, Fish, Vegetables |
| BREWERY: | Umeda Sake Brewery (Hiroshima prefecture) |
|---|---|
| TYPE: | Sake (Honjozo) |
| ABV: | 16.8% |
| SIZE: | 720ml |
| RICE VARIETY: | Senbonnishiki |
| POLISHING RATIO: | 60% |
| INGREDIENTS: | Rice, Koji (Malted Rice), Brewer's Alcohol |
| BREWERY: | Matsunami Sake Brewery Established in 1868 (Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan) |
|---|---|
| TYPE: | Sake (Honjozo) |
| ABV: | 19% |
| SIZE: | 720ml |
| RICE VARIETY: | Gohyakumangoku |
| POLISHING RATIO: | 68% |
| INGREDIENTS: | Rice, Koji (Malted Rice), Brewer's Alcohol |
| WHAT AN EXPERT SAYS: | Milk and rice, with a rich creamy nose; quite spritzy with hints of grated radish, milk, a touch of spice. Very dry and intense; untypically this is not at all sweet. Long and subtle; will work very well with creamy sauces. A touch of soy on the very back of the palate will make this food friendly. A perfect match for salmon fried in soy, yuzu pepper and salt. | COMPLEXITY: | 4 |
| UMAMI: | 5 |
| FOOD MATCHING: | Fish, Sushi, Desserts |
| BREWERY: | Matsunami Sake Brewery Established in 1868 (Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan) |
|---|---|
| TYPE: | Sake (Honjozo) |
| ABV: | 19.7% |
| SIZE: | 720ml |
| RICE VARIETY: | Gohyakumangoku |
| POLISHING RATIO: | 68% |
| INGREDIENTS: | Rice, Koji (Malted Rice), Brewer's Alcohol |
| WHAT AN EXPERT SAYS: | Classic nama sake with plenty of spice, purity, mineral notes, soy, black forest ham, spice, cigar ash, plenty of purity, chili spice. Dry and intense with a lot of warmth on the finish. Long and dusty with an intriguing and quite complex finish. | COMPLEXITY: | 6 |
| UMAMI: | 8 |
| FOOD MATCHING: | Fish, Sashimi, Sushi, Chicken |
| BREWERY: | Yukawa Sake Brewery Established in 1650 (Nagano Prefecture, Japan) |
|---|---|
| TYPE: | Sake (Honjozo) |
| ABV: | 15% |
| SIZE: | 300ml |
| RICE VARIETY: | Shirakabanishiki |
| POLISHING RATIO: | 70% |
| INGREDIENTS: | Rice, Koji (Malted Rice), Brewer's Alcohol |
| WHAT AN EXPERT SAYS: | Soy and rice, with sour milk, sour cream, quite easy and simple, a loveable drink to match with desserts and cheese mixes. | COMPLEXITY: | 6 |
| UMAMI: | 5 |
| FOOD MATCHING: | Fish, Game, Cheese |