Tasting and Pairing
It offers a clear, gentle sweetness, layered with the depth and character of buckwheat, followed by a clean, crisp finish. At room temperature, it shows an elegant and refined profile. When gently warmed, a soft, comforting richness emerges, reminiscent of soba-yu, the warm, cloudy broth enjoyed after eating soba, with its gentle grain sweetness and soothing texture. The expressive change across different serving temperatures is one of its key attractions.
Food Pairing
Chikuzen-ni (Simmered chicken and root vegetables in dashi), Oden (Japanese simmered dishes in dashi broth), Grilled eel with sweet soy glaze (Kabayaki), Teriyaki chicken, Warabi mochi (Bracken starch jelly), and Dashi-wari (Sake mixed with warm dashi broth).
Best served at
25℃, 50℃
Best served in
Large guinomi (a slightly larger sake cup)
Specifications
Alcohol
14
%
Polishing Ratio
60
%
Rice
Omachi (from Okayama) & Soba (buckwheat) koji
Water
Groundwater from Yao City
Retail Price
¥4,500 (500ml)
Prizes & Awards
The Brewery
The brewery behind 800, LINNÉ, is a new sake company founded in 2024 by Shoya Imai, former co-founder and Toji of WAKAZE, a company well known for its innovative approach in the sake industry.
After training at renowned breweries such as Aramasa Brewery and Abé Shuzō, Mr. Imai has spent many years developing sake with a strong focus on overseas markets, branding, and product development. He is widely recognized as one of the people who has greatly expanded the expressive potential of Japanese sake.
At LINNÉ, building on this experience, he is challenging more flexible and creative brewing under the themes of “fermentation beyond rice” and “redefining SAKE.”
The brand “800 (YAO)”, created by Mr. Imai, gained strong attention even before its official release. A crowdfunding campaign in Japan attracted more than 500 supporters and raised over JPY 11 million, clearly showing the high level of interest and expectation for this project.
Brewery Name
LINNÉ
Founded
2024
Generation
Location
Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto
Brewmaster
Shoya Imai
President
Shoya Imai