Norman

9.0

Katsuyama Den (勝山 伝) Junmai Daiginjo

Brewery: Sendai Isawa Family Katsuyama Sake Brewery, Sendai, Miyagi
Classification: Junmai Daiginjo
Rice: Yamada Nishiki, 100%, Hyogo
Polishing: 35%
ABV: 16%
SMV: ±0
Acidity: 1.5
Amino acid: 0.9
Method: Fukuro-shibori / bag pressed
Treatment: Single pasteurized, genshu, bottle stored at near-freezing temperature
Prefecture: Miyagi

Den (伝) is Katsuyama’s traditionally produced Junmai Daiginjo. The brewery describes it as rich and powerful yet clean, with ripe fruit aromatics, substantial Yamada Nishiki umami and a long, distinct finish. It is designed to pair with richer foods including fatty tuna, salmon and meat.

The figures above are from the official Miyagi Sake Brewers Association’s July 2026 lot, making them particularly relevant to the bottle tasted at Sake Day.

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. — 6 days ago

Norman

9.1

Katsuyama Ken (勝山 献) Junmai Ginjo

Brewery: Sendai Isawa Family Katsuyama Sake Brewery, Sendai, Miyagi
Classification: Junmai Ginjo
Rice: Yamada Nishiki, 100%
Polishing: 50%
ABV: 16%
SMV: +2
Acidity: 1.6
Amino acid: 0.9
Prefecture: Miyagi

Ken (献) is Katsuyama’s Junmai Ginjo made entirely from Yamada Nishiki. The brewery describes it as an elegant, food-oriented sake with a silky texture, restrained sweetness, substantial umami and balancing acidity. It is brewed using Katsuyama’s relatively unusual method of pressing each small batch over approximately one day rather than using a conventional high-volume pressing process.

Ken was named Champion Sake at the 2019 International Wine Challenge, after first receiving the Junmai Ginjo Trophy. I rate the ok but it was a long day.

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. — 6 days ago

Norman

9.3

Katsuyama Ken (勝山 献)— from Katsuyama Shuzo in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.

Very nice as well.
• Classification: Junmai Daiginjo
• Rice polishing: ~35% (about 65% of each grain polished away)
• Profile: Bright, fruit-forward aromatics (think ripe melon, pear, a hint of lychee) with clean acidity and a silky texture. Compared with Katsuyama Den, Ken is a little more lifted and aromatic, leaning toward a fresher, elegant style. 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 might have annoyed her with the picture but this is a brand to search out. There were four options and I only got two of the photos. Top quartile of the night. — a year ago

Norman

9.0

Katsuyama Lei (勝山 䴇) Junmai Ginjo

Brewery: Sendai Isawa Family Katsuyama Sake Brewery, Sendai, Miyagi
Classification: Junmai Ginjo
Rice: Hitomebore, 100%
Polishing: 55%
ABV: 12%
SMV: −30
Acidity: 1.8
Prefecture: Miyagi

Lei (䴇) is Katsuyama’s low-alcohol, sweet-style Junmai Ginjo. Despite the very low SMV, the brewery emphasizes its balance of sweetness and acidity. The profile is soft and juicy, with pronounced fruit character, gentle texture and a refreshing acidity that keeps the sweetness from becoming heavy. Katsuyama specifically positions Lei as an unusual sake for pairing with richer foods and desserts.

Katsuyama official product page⁠

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. — 6 days ago

Norman

9.3

Katsuyama Den (勝山 伝). This is a premium sake from Katsuyama Shuzo in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. This was very nice.
• Type: Junmai Daiginjo (no added alcohol, very high polishing ratio)
• Rice polishing: ~35% (about 65% of each grain milled away)
• Style: Rich, elegant, with a deep umami core and layers of fruit (melon, pear) balanced by restrained sweetness. It’s designed to pair with fine cuisine, even red meat. 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 might have annoyed her with the picture but this is a brand to search out. There were four options and I only got two of the photos. Top quartile of the night. — a year ago