- United Kingdom: 111% increase
- Germany: 117% increase
- Italy: 130% increase
- Brazil: 120% increase
Despite growing interest in premium sake, information about top-quality brands and selection criteria remains fragmented, particularly outside Japan.
In this guide, Sakura Sake Shop presents 10 exceptional sake brands from our collection to help international importers, restaurants, and sake enthusiasts make informed choices.
What Defines Premium Sake?
While premium sake has no strict definition, it typically features these key characteristics:
- Low rice polishing ratio (50% or less)
- Special brewing methods or aging periods
- Limited production
- Use of special sake rice varieties
High price alone doesn't guarantee value—many moderately priced sakes offer premium quality. The final price reflects ingredients, rarity, and production complexity.
Yet premium sakes do possess a distinctive character in both presentation and taste that elevates special occasions and fine dining.
Top 10 Premium Sake Selection
From our collection, we present these carefully curated premium sake brands:
No.1 REIKYO -Absolute 0-
Brewery: Niizawa Brewery (Miyagi Prefecture)
Rice Polishing Ratio: Less than 1% (0.85%)
Awards: International Wine Challenge 2022 Junmai Daiginjo Category [Gold Medal]
This masterpiece is created by polishing away 99.15% of the rice grain over 5,297 hours (221 days), using just the remaining 0.85% for brewing.
Each sip begins with delicate aromas of grapes and strawberries, followed by a velvety smooth, moist texture that creates firework-like sensations before gently fading to a subtle finish.
REIKYO offers a luxurious, elegant experience perfect for milestone celebrations.
No.2 NIIZAWA
Brewery: Niizawa Brewery (Miyagi Prefecture)
Rice Polishing Ratio: 7%
Notable Awards: Kura Master 2024 Junmai Daiginjo Category Gold Prize
The NIIZAWA series features specially contracted "Kura no Hana" rice, polished in-house over 350 hours.
This exquisite sake combines profound roundness and umami with a sensuous flavor profile, culminating in an extraordinarily long finish that transcends time.
With only 1,000 bottles produced annually and labels featuring world-class artists, these bottles are coveted additions to any serious sake collection.
No.3 NIIZAWA KIZASHI
Brewery: Niizawa Brewery (Miyagi Prefecture)
Rice Polishing Ratio: 7%
Notable Awards: International Wine Challenge 2023 SAKE Division, Junmai Daiginjo Category Gold Medal
This exceptional brew masterfully extracts koji-derived umami—a remarkable achievement at high polishing ratios—revealing the rice's true essence. Its taste profile balances clear sweetness with elegant sophistication.
Born from collaboration with outstanding contemporary artists, this sake supports emerging talent while promoting Japanese sake globally.
Recent bottles showcase works by Yasuhiro Suzuki (2023), Ellie Omiya (2022), and Mai Miyake (2021), with sales contributing to arts and cultural promotion.
Limited to 1,000 bottles yearly, this precious sake creates an anticipated annual tradition.
No.4 SUZUKAGAWA ROKU Junmai Daiginjo
Brewery: Shimizu Seizaburo Shoten (Mie Prefecture)
Rice Polishing Ratio: 40%
This premium sake gained fame when MLB star Roki Sasaki of the Los Angeles Dodgers presented it to Miguel Rojas after yielding his uniform number in 2025. It represents Suzukagawa's highest-grade offering, released for Shimizu Seizaburo Shoten's 150th anniversary.
The brewing process involves hanging bags of luxurious moromi—made from 40% polished Yamada Nishiki rice fermented at low temperature—and collecting only naturally falling drops without pressure.
This masterpiece, born of meticulous brewing, exhibits brilliant ginjo fragrance, smooth mouthfeel, and refreshing sweetness characteristic of premium sake.
No.5 ZANKYO Super Premium Junmai Daiginjo Super7
Brewery: Niizawa Brewery (Miyagi Prefecture)
Rice Polishing Ratio: 7%
Notable Awards: International Wine Challenge 2022 Gold
ZANKYO, served at the 2010 Grammy Awards reception, continues garnering international acclaim. Its Super Premium Junmai Daiginjo editions (2021 and 2022) won Gold prizes in IWC 2024's Junmai Daiginjo category.
Created using contracted "Kura no Hana" rice polished in-house for 350 hours to a remarkable 7% ratio—among the lowest in sake history—this sake exemplifies brewing excellence.
It offers gentle pear aromas with refined notes of white grapes and musk melon, delivering impeccable clarity and a layered, resonating finish.
No.6 UGONOTSUKI RAY Junmai Daiginjo
Brewery: Aihara Brewery (Hiroshima Prefecture)
Rice Polishing Ratio: 7%
Notable Awards: International Wine Challenge 2024 Junmai Daiginjo Category Trophy
"RAY" (䨩) embodies a mystical, mysterious force. The bottle's engraved lines evoke a single beam of light—symbolizing a new era's brilliance—extending from heaven to earth.
This sake elevates Ugonotsuki's "elegance, clarity, and transparency" through its deep lingering finish and refined taste, achieved only through ultra-high polishing. Every drop delivers dignified, crystal-clear flavors.
No.7 KATSUYAMA "Diamond Akatsuki" Junmai Daiginjo
Brewery: Katsuyama Brewery (Miyagi Prefecture)
Rice Polishing Ratio: 35%
This crown jewel comes from Miyagi Prefecture's Sendai Izawa-ke Katsuyama Brewery—the sole surviving official sake brewery of Sendai's Date clan.
"Akatsuki" extracts sake's purest essence through a specially modified centrifuge. "Diamond Akatsuki" specifically refers to the ultimate sake drawn from the core portion, prized for its transparency, purity, and lower specific gravity.
Its flawless clarity, premium rice sweetness, beautifully balanced acidity, robust body, and pristine finish create a liquid masterpiece worthy of its "diamond" designation.
No.8 ZAKU "Satori" Junmai Daiginjo
Brewery: Shimizu Seizaburo Shoten (Mie Prefecture)
Rice Polishing Ratio: 40%
Notable Awards: 2024 SAKE COMPETITION Super Premium Category 3rd Place
This distinguished sake stands out even within the acclaimed ZAKU lineup.
"Shizuku-tori" (drop collection) refers to the traditional method of hanging bags filled with premium moromi—made from 40% polished Yamada Nishiki rice fermented at low temperature—and collecting only naturally dripping sake.
This painstaking process yields extremely limited quantities.
This sublime creation combines brilliant aromatics with full-bodied richness and crystalline clarity. It earned international recognition as the toast sake at the 2016 G7 Ise-Shima Summit and received the prestigious Kura Master 2020 President's Prize.
▶︎ Learn more about ZAKU "Satori" Junmai Daiginjo Shizuku-tori
No.9 ISHIZUCHI ∮-INTEGRAL Junmai Daiginjo
Brewery: Ishizuchi Brewery (Ehime Prefecture)
Rice Polishing Ratio: 33%
Notable Awards: SAKE COMPETITION 2024 Super Premium Category SILVER
Crafted from carefully polished "Aiyama" rice—Hyogo Prefecture's "diamond of sake rice"—this sake achieves brilliant aromatics and crystalline clarity. Selected ingredients, precise brewing techniques, and unwavering passion unite in perfect harmony.
This flagship Ishizuchi creation perfectly accompanies life's special moments with cherished ones.
No.10 ISHIZUCHI Vanquish
Brewery: Ishizuchi Sake Brewery (Ehime Prefecture)
Rice Polishing Ratio: 25%
This aromatic junmai daiginjo showcases exclusively Ehime-sourced ingredients.
The name "Vanquish" reflects the brewery's mission to transcend conventional wisdom and established concepts.
It comes in a distinctive carton designed after Mount Ishizuchi—western Japan's highest sacred peak.
Final Thoughts
These premium sakes—coveted by enthusiasts worldwide—promise unforgettable experiences. They're ideal companions for celebrations and special occasions.
Importers and restaurant owners interested in offering premium sake, please contact us.
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