Style: Honjozo Sake

Producer: Niizawa Brewery

Rice: Yamada Nishiki rice milled to 60%

Where: Tohoku

Country: Japan

Taste: Rich, spicy and packed with kiwi fruits and toasted coconut, with mandarin peel accents and a tapered quenching finish. An elegant sake with an appealing creaminess, notes of melon and tart strawberries, and a dry finish. Sake maker Iwao Niizawa's version is to make "the ultimate food-sake."

Vibes with: steamed crab, fresh tomato salads, smoked fish

What is Honjozo Sake? Honjozo is a style of sake that features a small amount of added brewer's alcohol during fermentation, which enhances its aroma and flavor profile without increasing its alcohol content significantly. A small quantity of distilled alcohol is added to the fermenting mash to extract more flavor from the rice, resulting in a lighter, cleaner, and more aromatic sake. It's made from rice polished to a maximum of 70% of its original size and is known for being light, smooth, and versatile in its flavor and food pairings.