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Yamamoto Honke
Located in the heart of Kyoto, the
ancient capital of Japan, the first
Genbee Yamamoto founded the
kura in 1667. For 11
generations,
Yamamoto Honke
has been associated
with premium sake.
Lucky to be located
next to the spring of
Fushimi, this kura
has one of the best
water sources in all
of Japan. Known as
‘Shiragikui’,
meaning ‘water of the white
chrysanthemum,’ allows their toji
to make elegant and charming
sake.

Nakano BC Co
Nakano kura is
located in Wakayama,
south of Osaka. Here,
at the base of the
Fujishiro Mountains
Yamamoto Honke (Kyoto, Japan) kyotosake.com some of the most
Genbei San No Honjozo Onikoroshi ‘Demon Slayer’ 1.8L/6pk $161.90 remote and cleanest
springs are found,
helping to produce
memorable sake.
Nakano BC Kura (Wakayama, Japan) nakano-group.co.jp/en/ Kinokuniya
Kinokuniya Bunzaemon Junmai 720ml/6pk $131.90 Bunzaemon is named for the
ancient merchants and toji that
Kinokuniya Bunzaemon Junmai Ginjo 720ml/6pk $125.90 started sake production here.

Ippongi Kura (Fukui, Japan) ippongi.co.jp/eng/
Denshin Junmai Ginjo Yuki ‘Snow’ 720ml/6pk $185.90 Ippongi Kubohonten Co
The name Ippongi comes from a
Zen term, ‘Daiichigitai’, meaning
Shochu vs Soju. . . ‘ultimate truth’. Ippongi sakekura
is located in the foothills of Mt.
Hakusan (‘White Mountain’).
Soju is a clear spirit, originally from Korea. Traditionally, it was made with rice, but since Katsuyama City was
distilling rice was banned during the Korean War, distillers have used other grains and starches, ranked as the
such as wheat, sweet potatoes, and even tapioca. As a result, sojus vary in aroma and flavor, but ‘World’s Cleanest
City’ by Forbes.
are normally neutral. With an ABV in the range of 20-30, soju is the top-selling liquor by volume The area is one of
in the world, but it’s not legally considered a spirit everywhere. the most pristine,
and best regions for
Shochu originated in Japan at least 500 years ago. It shares certain characteristics with soju, growing sake rice.
Some of the best
including a similarly low ABV (between 25 and 30 percent ABV on average) and pronunciation. Goyakumangoku
Shochu is also most commonly made from sweet potato, barley, or rice. Top-quality shochu, and Yamada Nishki
called honkaku shochu, is single-distilled, allowing it to retain the flavors of its base ingredient. is grown a stones throw away
from the brewery. Also blessed
As such, a sweet potato shochu will taste very different from a rice shochu. with amazing mountain springs,
and snow melt, it also has access
to great water sourcing. The
brewery was founded in 1902,
and employed the Nambu Toji
Beniotome Shuzo (Fukuoka, Japan) sakeexpert.com guild from Iwate to help develop
Beniotome Sesame Shochu 750ml/12pk $275.90 their house style, of elegant dry
sake, known as ‘tanrei karakuchi’.

Yatsushika Shuzo (Fukuoka, Japan) sakeexpert.com
Ginza No Suzume Barley Shochu 750ml/12pk $215.90

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