Top 10 List – Ten Sakes and Their Twins
No two sakes are identical! But what if you like one sake so much and you can’t find it anywhere? Is it okay to cheat on your sake? Sure! Of course it is! How did that song go: “If you can’t be with the one you love then love the one you are with!” (Well that sort of sick, but I guess it’s okay in a libation context) Herewith are Ten sets of sakes that are very similar and heed the call “if you like this sake then you will probably like this sake.” We call them Sake Twins and when you want to branch out with a different sake, but don’t want to stray too far then these pairs are a pretty safe bet! Try them on their own going from memory or try them together!
10) Dewazakura Izumi Judan "Tenth Degree" Ginjo = Ichinokura Mukansa "Unclassified" Honjozo
Both of these sakes are brutally dry! Both are cutting but yet very clean. They are sake twins because they feel the same in the palate, which is to say they vanish in your mouth!
9) Kanbara “Bride of the Fox” Junmai Ginjo = Kiminoi “Emperor’s Well” Yamahai Junmai Ginjo
Both of these sakes are rich and savory! Both of these brews drink round and full-bodied in the palate. They are sake twins because they both touch that deep and rich smoothness that glides with great mouth-feel.
8) Otokoyama “Man’s Mountain” Tokubetsu Junmai = Joppari “Stubborn Daruma” Honjozo
Both of these sakes are “cans,” because they are not “cant’s”! They are super similar in that they both drink very dry and very clean with gentle rice tones and no real fruit elements at all. They are sake twins because they both are thin and super drinkable!
7) Wakatake “Demon Slayer” Junmai Daiginjo = Dewazakura “Green Ridge” Junmai Ginjo
Both of these sakes are fruit forward but are very well balanced. They drink with hints of fruit tones and a hint of creaminess on a very smooth fluid. They are sake twins because they both are extremely balanced sakes!
6) Urakasumi “Misty Bay” Honjozo Genshu = Shiokawa “Cowboy" Yamahai Junmai Ginjo Genshu
Both of these sakes are big, bold, and beautiful! They are super plump and chewy brews with a ton of attitude and mouth feel. They are sake twins, because they are both genshu or undiluted sakes that pop you in the jaw, but are velvet hammers that drink smooth.
5) Harushika “Spring Deer” Junmai Daiginjo = Dassai “39” Junmai Daiginjo
Both of these sakes are as smooth as velvet! They both drink fluffy and balanced with a unique characteristic called buoyant sake. With hints of fruit tones, but more ricey, these sakes are all about the feel. They are sake twins because they are balanced, extremely flavorful, and as smooth as the coolest velvet around.
4) Kokuryu “Black Dragon” Junmai Ginjo = Taiheizan Tenko “Heavenly Grace” Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo
Both of these sakes are the prototypical Pinot Noir sakes! Smooth and chewy, rich and ricey, balanced and buoyant both of these sakes fit well in a glass and in your palate. They are sake twins because they both are savory and round and represent the best in rich layered sake.
3) Akishika “Bambi Cup” Junmai = Kaika “Sanomaru Cup” Tokubetsu Junmai
Both of these cup sakes are cute as hell! They are both very clean, quaffable, and drink very much like ricey water. They are sake twins because if you look past the utter cuteness they are almost the exact same fluid! Adorable fluid!
2) Hakkaisan “Hakkai Mountain” Sparkling Sake = Suehiro “Poochi Poochi” Sparkling Sake
Both of these sparkling sakes drink more ricey than sweet. They are two of the better balanced sakes in the sparkling segment and they both are more compact in nature. They are sake twins because their bubbles and sparkling personalities are very similar and in a Champagne flute you will be seeing double bubbles!
1) Ichishima Karen “Coy” Junmai = Ichinokura Himezen “Princess Food” Junmai
Both or these lower alcohol, lighter, and fruity sakes are new world sakes. They are made for a different sake drinker who wants more fun in their sake glass. They are sake twins because they are both fruit forward, but don’t drink sweet!