Classification
Futsu (Foo-tsu): Basic, table sake made quick and cheap. Think bulk, industrial box wine.
Honjozo (Hon-jo-zo): Sake that contains any amount of added spirits. Can be very little as in the case of artisanal sake or can be a large quantity as in the case of Futsu.
Junmai (June-my): Pure sake, containing only rice, water, yeast and koji. Quality and flavors vary greatly.
Ginjo (G-in-jo): Sake made from rice that is polished/ milled to at least 60% of its original size. Has added spirits in small amounts.
Junmai Ginjo: Sake made from rice that is polished/ milled to at least 60% of its original size. Nothing added
Daiginjo (Die-gin-jo): Sake made from rice that is polished/milled to at least 50% of its original size. Has added spirits in small amounts.
Junmai Daiginjo: Sake made from rice that is polished/ milled to at least 50% of its original size. Nothing added.
Ginjo and Daiginjo can be either Honjozo or Junmai. A label that does not state “Junmai” is Honjozo which is rarely stated on the label.
Stylistic Variation
Infused: An American addition but slowly showing up in Japan. Simply means flavor added whether as raw fruit or flavor concentrate.
Karakuchi: Dry or very dry.
Genshu: Undiluted.
Nama: Raw, unpasteurized.
Nigori: Partially filtered. Literally means “cloudy”
Organic: USDA certified organic sake is important in today’s marketplace.
Shizuku: Saké filtered by allowing it to slowly drip from cotton bags with no pressure applied. Often found with Daiginjo.
Tanrei: Light clean and crisp style.
Tokubetsu: Designates a “special” saké. Often made with rice milled more than standard.
Yamahai: Lactic acid is allowed to interact with the yeast during fermentation leading to more wild and gamey flavors.
Putting A Name Together
The sake name is a string of descriptors that define what is in the bottle. By understanding the classifications and the main styles you can easily know what each saké is. Be careful though, not all terms go together like Junmai Honjozo, or Shizuku and Funashibori. Can’t have both in one saké.
Junmai – Ginjo – Nigori – Genshu – Yamahai