Sendai Isawa Family Katsuyama Sake Brewery
Katsuyama Ken Junmai Ginjo
Miyagi, Japan
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.
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.