Norman

9.1

Gokyo Daiginjo Saito no Shizuku (五橋 大吟醸 西都の雫)

Brewery: Sakai Shuzo, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi
Classification: Daiginjo
Rice: Saito no Shizuku and Yamada Nishiki
Polishing: 40%
ABV: 17%
SMV: +1.0
Acidity: 1.2
Amino acid: 0.9
Yeast: Kyokai 1801, 9E and Akita Konno No. 25
Prefecture: Yamaguchi

Saito no Shizuku is Yamaguchi’s original sake rice variety. Sakai Shuzo describes this Daiginjo as elegant and aromatic, with soft sweetness, delicate texture and enough acidity to keep it balanced. The brewery’s Gokyo style is associated with the soft water of the Nishiki River.

This sake has also received the National New Sake Appraisal Gold Medal four consecutive years, through the 2025 brewing year.

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. — a day ago

Thomas Gayno

9.5

An excellent wine we drunk with Laeti over teppanyaki in Tokyo at Omae X Morimoto in 2010. — 8 years ago

Naoki Kondo

9.0

Gokyo from Yamaguchi. Fresh! I like this. — 11 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

9.4

Japanese whole cluster petnat from an indigenous variety called Jobitaki, creamy texture with a gorgeous satsuma nose — 11 years ago

Norman

9.0

Gokyo Five Red Kioke Jikomi Kimoto Junmai (五橋 FIVE RED)

Brewery: Sakai Shuzo, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi
Classification: Junmai
Rice: Nihonbare and Yamada Nishiki, Yamaguchi
Polishing: 60%
ABV: 15%
SMV: +12
Acidity: 2.2
Yeast: Kyokai 901
Method: Kimoto, fermented in wooden kioke vats
Prefecture: Yamaguchi

Five Red is the dry expression in Gokyo’s Five series. Sakai Shuzo combines traditional kimoto fermentation with wooden-vat brewing, producing a distinctly savory, very dry style. The importer describes moderate grapefruit and citrus aromatics, clear umami, a faint creamy sweetness and a clean, dry finish.

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. — 2 days ago

Hisae Imai

9.0

吉祥寺のお店で。
樽の感じで少しバナナっぽい。 — 7 years ago

Yutaka Hisaeda

9.0

160717. Suit for dinner! — 10 years ago

Emily Kresie-Harrington

9.0

Birthday sake! Creamy and round, but still light on its feet with a refreshing acidity. Pears, melon, light caramel. SMV +5 from Yamaguchi prefecture, just south and west of Hiroshima. — 11 years ago

Lunett/ Yosshi

Sake Specialist Hasegawa Sake Shop Tokyo

9.0

Name:" Gokyo"/ brewery: Sakai shuzou/ region; Iwakuni city, Yamaguchi prefecture/ category: junmai unpressed squeezed unpasturised / light and fruity nose of melon and pear, smooth attack and sweet body, clear after. Nice balance. — 13 years ago

Keith M

9.0

薄濁りな感じで、旨みのあるタッチ。
青さ、ザクロ、土っぽさ、くどくはないが僅かにキャンディ。ザクザクいける。
2日目は少し甘さが目立つ感じだが、それでも飲み心地の良いワイン。うまし！ — 5 years ago

Keith M

8.9

デラウェア主体にフランス品種のセパージュらしい。
割としっかり厚みのある果実味。余韻にはシャルドネっぽい香りなのだが、しっかりと酸もあって、日本のワインは勉強中だか、密度と爽快感。表現力がある。
何にでも合わせやすそうだし、価格も手頃。重宝しそう。 — 5 years ago

Naoki Kondo

9.0

Mio Sakai kimoto. Uplifting!! — 9 years ago

Yutaka Hisaeda

9.0

150915. with SAKAI Trading @ Charllote. — 11 years ago

Saori Taga

9.5

いい香り。いろんな味がしておもしろい！ — 12 years ago