One of the few organic sakes produced in Japan and made with the intention of creating a completely natural product with nothing added. The area’s natural underground springs provide Tentaka with a pure, fresh water source, which is also triple-filtered.

The ultimate luxury sake that is made from the most premium of all rice strains and polished down to an exceedingly labor-intensive 35%. Out of the 24 grades of Yamada Nishiki rice, this sake is made from the very highest (Toku A Tokujo-Mai) and then made in the non-pressed free run shizuku style resulting in extreme purity. Silent Stream is named after the clear and untouched water that that originates deep in the jagged, snow-covered Nasu Mountains.

A go-to sake for barbeque, this rustic, high acid sake is a great representation of traditional Junmai style that you would find in Izakayas throughout Japan. The brewery name, Tentaka, translates to “hawk in the heavens,” a prosperous Japanese symbol that is thought to bring good fortune to the brewery.

A rare opportunity to try sake made with Yeast #9 sourced from the brewery that discovered it, rather than from the National Research Institute of Brewing. The result is lively and intense flavors of saltwater taffy salinity that evokes memories of the beach. Song of the Sea is an ode to the brewery’s seaside location in Kanagawa.

This sake commemorates the life of the previous Toji who was a Brew Master Sensei and one of the “Four Guardians of Heaven” from the prestigious Noto Toji Guild. The brewery continues its former sensei’s traditions with this clean, dry and rich brew which is considered one of Japan’s most highly regarded sake. A rare combination of concentrated fruit aromatics and dry mouthfeel in a Junmai Daiginjo.

Bright and refreshing, this sake is the perfect choice for daytime drinking and is the brewery employees’ drink of choice. The juniper botanicals and cucumber notes make it the perfect gin lover’s sake. It is named after the brewery founder who fought many battles near the ruins of Takatenjin Castle. It is very close to being a Ginjo but reined in by flavors and aromas to allow more easy drinking.

Dreamy Clouds is quite special because its milling rate of 59% technically qualifies it as Junmai Ginjo grade – a rare quality level for a nigori (cloudy) sake. It presents an opportunity to move Nigori drinkers forward to new styles of sake.

Brewed with a newly developed rice called Kan no Mai that withstands cold climates and is full of smoky, saline rice flavors. The rice name is a word made of the Japanese characters “Kan,” translated to “God,” and “Mai,” meaning dance or stage. The specific milling rate of 68% employed in this sake results in a one-of-a-kind flavor profile.

Aged in tank for 3 years, this umami-rich sake finishes dry and clean from precise fermentation and water minerality. This unusual juxtaposition makes it stand out as a savory sake that will not weigh you down. Star-Filled Sky is brewed in Japan’s least populated prefecture where there is an abundance of natural elements available. This isolation leads to nights with complete darkness, where the stars are in full view.

This sake is a true expression of Fukui, using local yeast, bottled from a single tank, and highlights the pristine, nationally famous water source.

Brewed in the same way with the same ingredients as Pearls of Simplicity but with a touch of distilled alcohol to open up aromatics and lighten the overall impact. Konteki means “dew drops of the earth” while Higashiyama (the brewery name) translates to “eastern hill.“ Brewery workers have been known to start their days watching the sun rise over the mountains until the dew drops glisten as if they were the Tears of Dawn.

The epitome of purity, this sake is more subtle and nuanced than most highly aromatic Junmai Daiginjos. It is based on the ideals of Zen Buddhism and “wabi-sabi,” the belief that beauty within the arts should be as understated and pure as a simple strand of pearls. One of two sakes brewed in exactly the same way with the same ingredients, except this one is a Junmai Daignjo and Tears of Dawn has added distilled alcohol to open up aromatics.

Kojima Sohonten utilizes their 24 generations of sake making to reintroduce an ancient way of production, sashikomi, to produce a sake that is at once modern and rooted in tradition. This “four-step” brewing method, along with the addition of kijoshu and finishing in cedar, results in a sake that has remarkable intensity and concentration for being only 13% alcohol. Truly the first of its kind, this product challenges preconceived notions of what defines quality when it comes to sake.

Kawatsuru translates to “river crane” and comes from the sighting of a crane in the river behind the brewery. Crane of Paradise is described as “umakuchi,” a combination between sweet, dry and umami flavors. The perfect summertime sip!

The intense complexity of this sake is achieved through an abundance of koji, yamahai, no dilution, and over ten years of careful aging.

This savory sake is inspired by local legends of Niigata’s annual fox-bride festival. Local lore tells of mysterious lights that appeared on nearby Mt. Kirin in the distant past, which are claimed to be the lanterns carried in the fox-bride procession. With a 50% polishing rate, this sake could technically qualify as a Junmai Daiginjo, but the savory notes and food pairing versatility identify more with the style expected from Junmai Ginjo.

Flawless yet incredibly persistent. The purity of the region of Yamagata shines in this sake, with the crispness of their pristine water, the grassy, spicy quality of dewasansan rice, and the opulent textures derived from shizuku free run finishing.

Sparkling sake made through secondary fermentation in bottle. Toji Miho Imada uses a little white koji in this sake, resulting in citrus notes and refreshing finish.

The limestone covered mountains nearby give this sake a rich mineral driven structure packed with tension and pronounced acidity. A timeless style of sake that old-world wine drinkers easily gravitate to.

This undiluted brew is fit for a cowboy – made in the ancient Yamahai style, loaded with umami, and pairs beautifully with meat.