1. XIV YORKYO Ryusen Junmai Daiginjo

XIV YORKYO is a winery located in Takagi Sake Brewery, and the name of the sake comes from the 14th generation of Takagi Sake Brewery. Anyone who knows about sake will know about Yachiyo, as it is extremely expensive, with even the entry-level model costing as much as the top sake from other sake breweries.

Yachiyo's sake is always at the top of the Japanese sake list because of its unique and unrepeatable flavor.

For example, Yukiyo independently cultivated the "No. 10 yeast," used its own natural spring "Sakura Shimizu" for brewing, and independently developed "Sake Mirai" and "Ryuranoko. The brewery uses its own natural spring, "Sakura Shimizu", and has independently developed "Sake Mirai" and "Ryukanoko" new rice, as well as an independent shizuku press system and bottling sterilization technology that no other brewery or brand can duplicate.

In addition, the current 15th-generation owner, Takagi Hidetsugu, has inherited his father's dedication to rice varieties, yeasts, and unique brewing techniques, and is actively working to make the 14th-generation even better.

Ryusen is the top of the line of the 14th generation, and the most expensive sake on the market, with a 35% rice blend and brewed with unique natural spring water. With a predominantly fruity and floral aroma, Ryusen has a sweet, smooth mouthfeel with little alcohol burn.

2. Kikuhime Kikurihime Ginjo

Kikuhime started her business in 1570-1600 under the name "Koyanagi House", and became a joint venture Yanagi Sake Shop in 1902, and then Kikuhime Joint Venture Company in 1928. Kikuhime placed great importance on the ingredients used to brew sake, and to ensure the quality of the lost rice, Kikuhime practiced a village rice system with farmers in Yoshikawa-cho, Misono-gun, Hyogo Prefecture's Special Area A. Kikuhime supervised the quality of the rice and ensured that the farmers' incomes were maintained as well.

Kikurihime is a masterpiece brewed during the time of master brewer Shohiko Noguchi, and is called "the sake that eats up the years" as it requires more than 10 years of storage before it is released. It is a more traditional sake with a high alcohol content of 50% and a thick, slightly golden body, with a rich, concentrated flavor and hints of fungus and nuts.

3, otter festival grinding first pure rice daiginjo

Brewing otter festival Asahi Brewery is located in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, was founded in 1770, and has been in business for nearly 250 years. The current president, Hiroshi Sakurai, took over the brewery from his family in 1984. It was a time of decline for sake, with consumption down 70 percent across Japan and more than 1,500 sake breweries closing.

There was little improvement in the years after Hiromichi Sakurai took over, and soon after the head brewer resigned, fearing he would not be paid. With no way back, Sakurai had no choice but to turn his back on the business and take matters into his own hands. He decided to stop producing the decades-old "Asahi Fuji" ordinary sake, and instead purchased premium sake rice, Yamada Nishiki, and brewed junmai daiginjo under a new brand name, "Otter Matsuri".

The reputation of otatsuri has spread far and wide, and it can be found in many fine restaurants in Paris, London and New York. It is also famous for being the drink of choice for U.S. President Barack Obama when he hosted Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the White House.

Ma-no-sen, launched in 2012, is the highest-end sake at Otter Matsuri, and also the most mysterious, as Otter Matsuri refuses to disclose Ma-no-sen's dewy rice steps, stating that it has the lowest amount of rice steps in the history of the sake brewery.

4. Daishichi Myohanamaku Junmai Daiginjo

Daishichi Sake Brewery was established in 1752, and adheres to Japan's most orthodox and traditional brewing method, "Ikuta Brewing," which produces richly flavored sake that retains the flavors of the period in which it was brewed. The brewery has also invested a great deal of resources in the "Super Flat Rice" technology to grind super flat rice, which is better than the traditional round rice, and to preserve the essence of the rice, the "heart white" part of the rice.

In 1988, after five years of repeated experiments, Daishichi brewed Japan's only raw katsuobushi junmai daiginjo, which is now known as vintage myohanamatsu. Myoho Rangaku is usually released about three years after the year it was brewed, for example, the 2017 release is from the 2014 brewing year, and can be consumed immediately or cellared at low temperatures for several years.

Also, Myohana Orchid's Grand Cuvee is the most secretive, with only four releases in 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016, and the first bottling in 2007 was chosen as the dinner wine for the G8 summit in Toyako, Hokkaido.

5. Tengu-mai Arigatou Daiginjo

Tengu-mai was founded in 1823, and the seventh generation is the current head brewer. Tengu-mai Brewery is located in Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture, and is surrounded by lush forests, where, according to legend, tengu (heavenly dogs) are often seen drinking and dancing happily, hence the name.

Tengumai is a well-known brand of sake brewed with Yamada-nishiki from Hyogo Prefecture. Brewed using the "yamabushi" technique, the sake has a light amber color, defeating the notion that "colorless sake is good sake.

Awakubo is one of the most famous Tengu-mai sakes, meaning "like a god of joy". Every year, the best junmai daiginjo is selected to be stored in the cellar, and when it matures, only the best quality is bottled as Arigatou.