Founded in 1823, Tengumai Shuzo is located facing the Japan Sea in the Ishikawa prefecture of central Japan. They produce traditional Yamahai sake using Gohyakumangoku rice. Tasting note: Shows a bright, medium lemon colour in the glass. Not an overly aromatic nose, but what's there works well, showing ripe green fruit of nashi pear and custard apple, yellow melon, and notes of yoghurt and rich rice. On the palate this sake has great texture and umami feel, while showing flavours of green melon, honey, meringue and yoghurt. The richness and weight on the palate work well here. Serve cold or warm. Alc 15.9% SMV: +4 Rice Polishing: 60%

Maruishi Jozo Miwaku No Mango is a blend of Junmai sake and mango. Distilled with Daichi No Kaze rice, this sake liqueur has a powerful palate of sweet mango. Best enjoyed chilled, on the rocks, with soda.

Kenbishi Mizuho Yamahai Junmai Sake is produced using the classic style involing amahai method and wild yeast. King of Sake rice ‘Yamadanishiki’ 100% used. ‘Mizuho’ means ‘ear of rice’, but in this case, Kenbishi meant it is ‘Junmai’. Blends of 2 YO to 8 YO tank aged Sake. The resulting sake is has a distinctive golden colour with aromas of nut, honey, and malt. A smooth and mouth coating warm with medium-to-full bodied textures.

Tsuru-Ume series are brewed and blended with the long experience and the rich skill and recipe in the liquor sprits brewing works of Heiwa Shuzou brewery. The most specific idea of living in this modern world stands on the understanding of “Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability.” In this idea, the Tsuru-Ume series are hand-crafted in the concept of LOHAS style. That is why this series is not for mass production and easy consumption. You will know it when you try! Among the products produced in Wakayama prefecture is Heiwa Shuzo Tsuru-ume Natsumikan (Summer Orange). The Natsumikan or Japanese summer orange is somewhere between sour orange and mandarin, the flavour is bitter and sweet together and refreshingly pleasant not unlike seville orange marmalade. Cool it and enjoy it straight, on the rocks or with soda. Mandarin pulp may settle or float so you may want to give the bottle a little shake before opening. Store in a cool and dark place away from sunlight to avoid spoiling the taste. After opening, store in a refrigerator and drink as soon as possible.

In theory it is impossible to ferment whole brown rice unless it is sprouted [which is what used to be done in ancient times] however Genmai-zake [literally - brown rice sake] means that the husk of the rice has not been polished off. Rather, the rice husk is crushed to expose the inner part of the grain to allow fermentation, while leaving the rice completely unpolished. Genmai-zake needs twice as much rice than would usually be required to make the same quantity of sake made from polished rice. This style also requires extra attention with longer soaking and steaming times. Soaking for Genmai-zake takes around 14 hours, whereas soaking for white rice ranges from 1 minute for highly polished rice to around 1 hour for less polished. This long soak time is followed by a double steaming process. During the fermentation of the Genmaishu, Shiuchi-san has to implement complicated additions of kōji rice, steamed rice and water at very specific intervals of the ferment period to to achieve the exact result he wants in the finished sake. Kameman also needs to age the sake before it is at its optimum drinking condition. It is incredibly rare to see a sake made from brown rice, with only one other brewery in Japan making a genmai-zake. The Genmaishu displays a beautiful brown sugar and roasted cocoa bean nose with a lovely balanced sweetness on the palate with tastes of ‘Christmas cake’ dried fruit and spices. Kameman have achieved the perfect balance of sweet/savoury/dry to make this a well balanced sake with great palate weight. As this sake ages it develops into even richer, more complex flavours. This is an interesting sake to match with food as it can be paired with sweet dishes with pastry, nuts and honey or can be used to match with rich ingredients like foie gras.

Kitajima Sake Brewery was established in 1805 and is one of Japan's oldest and most respected sake breweries, situated in the beautiful Shiga Prefecture near lake Biwa. Their highly crafted range is unique and distinctive with a palate that is much richer and fruitier than the average sake. Made from Oumi rice, a premium rice that is ethically grown in the Shiga Prefecture, polished at 60%, pasteurised and non-filtered. This Junmai Ginjo sake has a rich aroma of berry fruits and a soft and plump taste with fresh notes of citrus.