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Brewed using Rice, Water, Koji
Mold & Distilled Alcohol
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Brewed using Rice, Water &
Koji Mold only
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Rice Milled
To:
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Daiginjo
An extension of Ginjo below in that it is brewed
using even more painstaking, labor intensive methods.
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Junmai Daiginjo
Subclass in which, like Junmai below, only rice,
water and koji have been used. The pinnacle of the sake brewer's
art. Generally light, complex, and fragrant.
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At least
50%
50% milled,
as much as 65% often milled
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Ginjo
Brewed with labor intensive steps, eschewing
machinery, and fermented at colder temperatures for longer
periods.
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Junmai Ginjo
A subclass in which, like Junmai below, only rice,
water and koji have been used. Flavor is light and delicate, often
with fruity or flowery touches to the flavor and fragrance.
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At least
60%
40% or more milled away
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Honjozo
Brewed using a very small amount of pure distilled
alcohol. Lighter and often more fragrant than Junmai.
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Junmai
Made with nothing but rice, water and koji. Usually
a bit heavier and fuller than other types, often with good acidity.
The milling requirement was originally 70%. However, laws have
changed, and Junmai no longer requires a specified milling rate,
albeit the rate must be listed on the label.
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At least
70%
30% or more milled away
** Junmai **
No longer requires a specified milling rate
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Sake above line also collectively referred to as "tokutei
meishoushu"  or "special designation sake," and can be considered
"premium sake," but it constitutes only 20% or so of entire market.
Sake below line is "futsu-shu" (normal sake), accounting for
remaining 80% of market.
Futsu-shu 
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No
minimum
milling
requirements
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- Keep in mind that, very often, the differences among the above
grades of sake are subtle.
- Namazake
 is
un-pasteurized sake and the term may apply to any of the above.
Namazake is generally fresher and more fragrant than pasteurized
sake. Note that most sake is pasteurized.
- Sake is generally not aged, although there are exceptions,
especially lately.
- Generally the more the rice is milled, the cleaner, lighter and
more delicate the flavor.
- Pure, distilled alcohol is added in copious amounts to cheap
sake, but when used in very small amounts in premium sake, it helps
bring out fragrance and flavor.
- The suffix SHU, as in Junmai-shu, simply means sake.
- Many other less-important sake-related terms have been omitted
for simplicity.
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