Norman

9.1

Hakkaisan Junmai Ginjo [55]

Brewery: Hakkaisan Brewery, Minamiuonuma, Niigata, Japan
Classification: Junmai Ginjo
Koji rice: Gohyakumangoku
Brewing rice: Gohyakumangoku, Todorokiwase and other rice
Polishing: 55%
Yeast: Kyokai No. 701
ABV: 15.5%
SMV: +1.0
Acidity: 1.7
Amino acid: 1.6
Production: Limited production

Brewer description: Clean and refreshing with a hint of acidity and medium body. Hakkaisan emphasizes the way the sake integrates with food, making it suitable for a variety of seasonal pairings.

Tasted at Sake Day SF — 9/26/2026. Rating is limited since the same glass was reused throughout the tasting, making it difficult to get a truly clean tasting and accurate read on the aromas. — 7 days ago

Norman

9.0

This was all part of our Sake Day 2025 experience. We only tasted 60ish sakes out of an estimated 450, so a small fraction of what was available. While I attempted to rinse the glass with water and stay hydrated it’s difficult to fairly rate in this environment and I use it solely as a time to try a wide variety and interact with the brands. I don’t love sparkling sake. — a year ago

Norman

9.4

Can’t say I can tell a big difference between the 3 and the 8yr. Both are very nice. This has a bit less punch. Softer on the finish for sure. — 2 years ago

Norman

9.4

Super intense - sweet, thick, condensed. — 3 years ago

Ron R

9.0

Tilts more towards a traditional IPA with slightly bitter hops, but quite punchy and refreshing - Buddha-Bar NYC. — 5 years ago

TH

8.9

@知多繁 2,052 incl tax — 8 years ago

Norman

9.1

Hakkaisan Tokubetsu Honjozo (八海山 特別本醸造)

Brewery: Hakkaisan Brewery, Minamiuonuma, Niigata, Japan
Classification: Tokubetsu Honjozo
Rice: Gohyakumangoku and other rice
Polishing: 55%
ABV: 15.5%
SMV: +4
Acidity: 1.0

Brewer description: Hakkaisan describes it as a clean, crisp sake with a gentle aroma and smooth, refreshing character. Designed to be versatile with food and enjoyable either chilled or warmed.

Tasted at Sake Day SF — 9/26/2026. Rating is limited since the same glass was reused throughout the tasting, making it difficult to get a truly clean tasting and accurate read on the aromas.

Fine. Nothing I would specifically look for. — 7 days ago

Norman

9.1

Always nice but you can tell the difference from the 3yr and the 8yr. — 9 months ago

ted hirano

9.0

Masuizumi Special Edition — 2 years ago

JKT

9.0

Second sake of Kaiseki dinner at Naza GiroGiro with willie. Also dry with touch of minty fruitiness. — 3 years ago

Norman

9.4

Nice, light on the flavor but sufficient finish, also light on the palate. I’m a big fan of the Snow bottle but this probably beats in a side by side. — 4 years ago

Brian Boothe

9.1

Very versatile, great chilled and at room temperature but really opens up when warmed. Have fun with this one. — 6 years ago

TriShan

9.4

Smooth. Best chilled. Slightly sweet. Buy again. — 9 years ago

Norman

9.1

Hakkaisan Snow Aged 3 Years (八海山 雪室貯蔵三年)

Brewery: Hakkaisan Brewery, Minamiuonuma, Niigata, Japan
Classification: Junmai Daiginjo
Rice: Yamada Nishiki and Gohyakumangoku
Polishing: 50%
ABV: 17%
Aging: 3 years in Hakkaisan’s natural snow-storage cellar (Yukimuro)

Brewer description: Aged for three years at a naturally maintained temperature of approximately 3°C using the cooling power of snow. Hakkaisan describes the slow maturation as producing a mellow, smooth character while retaining freshness and clarity.

Tasted at Sake Day SF — 9/26/2026. Rating is limited since the same glass was reused throughout the tasting, making it difficult to get a truly clean tasting and accurate read on the aromas.

Fine. — 7 days ago

Norman

8.9

Kikusui Perfect Snow - this is a heavy, thick sake with a stronger than expected alcohol bite. I should have known this from the name but for some reason was thinking it would be like Hakkaisan Snow-aged sake. Clearly not. — a year ago

S.S. Mandani

9.4

Super crisp like an early brisk morning. Really. — 2 years ago

Farshed Mahmud

9.3

Niseko, Hokkaido, February 2024. Delicious! Delicate but also complex. Best sake I’ve tasted. — 3 years ago

Norman

9.4

It might have been the ambiance/glass/carafe they used to decant that has me giving this a higher rating than others but I think it’s accurate. Right out of the bottle it’s light, crisp and clean. As it opens and warms the flavors come out. I’d call it a light, sweet melon but if you told me it was an apple/pear sweetness I’d be hard pressed to disagree. Great bottle. Polished to 45% — 5 years ago

Alexandra Wood

9.3

Picked this sparkling cider up from the duty free in Tokyo and it far exceeded my expectations. Effervescent with a great balance of the savory notes you’d expect of most sakes and somewhat unexpected citrus. — 8 years ago

Rob McCaughey

9.4

The first guys to re-introduce Kijoshu back in '73 and they know their stuff.

Forget about Madeira - drink this instead — 9 years ago