About sake labeling

1. Specific designation in accordance with the differences of raw ingredients

Classification according to various conditions, mainly the ingredients used (ie, whether distilled alcohol is added during brewing) and "Seimai-buai" (ie. the polishing rate adopted for the ingredient rice).

Type of Junmai

SEIMAI-BUAI
50% or less Flavor tendency: Light, clear and aromatic	Junmai Daiginjo Characteristics: Ginjo-zukuri (ginjo-making)・Distinctive flavor・Luster and color are excellent
60% or less Flavor tendency: Well-balanced Subtle notes of rice	Junmai Ginjo Characteristics: Ginjo-zukuri (ginjo-making)・Distinctive flavor・Luster and color are excellent Special Junmai * Sake with 60% or less rice-polishing rate or brewed by a special method
70% or less Flavor tendency: Rich and firm taste	Junmai * No provision for rice-polishing rate. Characteristics: Flavor・Luster and color are good.

Tyoe of Rice and Rice-koji with addition of prewers alcohol

SEIMAI-BUAI
50% or less Flavor tendency: Light, clear and aromatic	Daiginjo Characteristics: Ginjo-zukuri (ginjo-making)・Distinctive flavor・Luster and color are excellent
60% or less Flavor tendency: Well-balanced Subtle notes of rice	Ginjo Characteristics: Ginjo-zukuri (ginjo-making)・Distinctive flavor・Luster and color are excellent Special Ginjo * Sake with 60% or less rice-polishing rate or brewed by a special method
70% or less Flavor tendency: Rich and firm taste	Honjozo * No provision for rice-polishing rate. Characteristics: Flavor・Luster and color are good.

Futsu-shu	The sake that does not meet the above mentioned classification of "Specific designation". Generally casual but many are well flavored.

The lower the rice polishing rate is, the more the rice is polished.

2. Difference in production process

Difference in each production process level results in originality with distinctive flavor and/or aroma.

 2-1. Difference in methods of cultivating fermentation starter

Fermentation starter is made by mixing yeast, steamed rice, koji mold and water. Lactic acid bacteria is used to nurture good yeast. The process of cultivating fermentation starter determines the characterics of the flavor.

Ki-moto

How to cultivate fermentation starter:

Take in the natural lactic acid bacteria. Mash the rice(=Yamaoroshi).

Difference in taste:

Quite acid.

Yamahai

How to cultivate fermentation starter

Take in the natural lactic acid bacteria. Do not mash the rice (=Abolishing Yamaoroshi).

Difference in taste:

Acid. Relatively powerful.

Sokujo

How to cultivate fermentation starter:

Add artificial lactic acid.

Difference in taste

Light and easy to drink.

2-2. Difference in stages of pressing (joso) 

Pressing (Joso) can be regarded as the first step of clarifying sake. It is the process to allow clear sake to pass through by separating the alcoholic liquid from "sake kasu", which means the unwanted mixture of rice solids and lees. Basically, there are three stages of pressing. The sake coming from different stages have different characters. 

SEME	The last-run sake which has to come through by high pressure. Rich flavor
NAKADORI	The second-run sake which needs to come through with a bit more pressure Clear and balanced aroma
ARABASHIRI	The first-run sake which comes through with only a little pressure. Slightly cloudy. Balanced flavor of sourness and refreshness.

* Exception Natural drip-pressing (Fukurozuri)

The sake which comes through a hanging cloth bag but not a machine. Silky and clean without bitterness

2-3. Difference in filteration (Roka) methods

Filteration (Roka) can be considered as the second process of clarifying sake. It is to further eliminate "lees", the residues such as fragments of rice, from sake. Character of sake also varies depending on different filteration methods or levels.

Doburoku

Completely unfiltered sake which has not even gone through pressing.
Thick, cloudy sake.

Origara

Only slightly filtered with lees sinking to the bottom of the tank.
Well-balanced in terms of taste and fragrance. Rich and full-bodied.

Nigori-zake

Filtered through a coarse cloth bag, leaving some rice solids to remain.
White and cloudy.

Muroka

"Unfiltered (Muroka)" refers to the sake which does not go through charcoal filtration. Simply put, it means the lees are just roughly removed through racking.
Freshly pressed with a refreshing aroma. Taste of richness in rice.

2-4. Difference in pasteurization

The condition of freshly made sake is unstable due to the bacteria being still active. Pasteurizing sake stabilizes the quality of sake. Well balanced and modestly matured with both mellow and refreshing taste.

Unpasteurized

Name	Nama-zake
Status	No pasteurization involved
Color/Taste	Fresh and crisp aroma. Firm and intense *Must be refrigerated

Pasteurized once

Name	Namazume/ Namachozo
Status	Namazume = Pasteurized once after filtration and before storage. Namachozo = Unpasteurized before storage but pasteurized at bottling
Color/Taste	Well balanced and modestly matured with both mellow and refreshing taste.

Pasteurized twice

Name	Hiire
Status	Pasteurized once before storage and at bottling respectively, resulting in total of two pasteurization
Color/Taste	Refreshing taste

2-5. Difference in storage period

You can enjoy the difference in taste depending on the length of storage.

Hiya-oroshi

The new sake made during winter to spring season will be pasteurized once , left to mature, then bottled in fall and released. Pasteurized once only.
It has a subtly aged and minutely deep taste.

Koshu

Stored for 3 years or more. The color and flavor vary according to the number of years and the settings such as the temperature in which the sake is matured,
Amberlike brown color. The flavor resembles cacao, caramel, and soy sauce almost like Chinese Shaoxing rice wine.