2014’s Sake Experience brings together 25 different sakes from 11 different breweries, for the best range of sake you can enjoy in the UK!

Shimizu Seizaburo Shoten

This brewery is located in Suzuka, an area so
traditionally associated with sake brewing that in
literature and poetry it was praised with the epithet
umasake, “good-sake-yielding”.
Established in 1724, the Urakasumi Sake Brewery
is the designated brewer of sacred sake for the
thousand-year old Shiogama Shrine. The
Urakasumi name is taken from the poetry of
Minamoto no Sanetomo, a 12th century Shogun
who wrote of the beauty of the region.

Yoshida Brewing Hakuryu

Founded in 1806 and run by the Yoshida
family ever since, this small brewery, located
in Fukui, uses local ingredients to produce
outstanding sake in small batches. 75,000
bottles of sake are produced a year by a team
that never numbers more than ten people.

Sho Chiku Bai Shirakabegura

This brewery is located in Nada, one of
Japan’ s foremost sake making regions.
Their unique approach combines modern
facilities with traditional methods. Here, a
passionate team uses artisan techniques to
brew stunning sake, almost entirely by hand.

Kikusui Sake

This brewery, founded in 1881, is located in
Niigata, one of Japan’ s most renowned sake
brewing areas thanks to its ideal environment for
growing rice and brewing sake. From its home in
an old castle town, Kikusui respects tradition
without being held back by it.

Urakasumi Sake Brewery

Established in 1724, the Urakasumi Sake Brewery
is the designated brewer of sacred sake for the
thousand-year old Shiogama Shrine. The
Urakasumi name is taken from the poetry of
Minamoto no Sanetomo, a 12th century Shogun
who wrote of the beauty of the region.

Gekkeikan Sake

Gekkeikan was established in 1637 in the Fushimi
district of Kyoto, where the water is as crisp and
delicious as the natural surroundings are
beautiful. Today, Gekkeikan sake, brewed in
time-honoured tradition, is enjoyed by drinkers
in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Tsuji Honten

Founded in 1804 and currently run by the seventh
generation of family brewers, this Okayama
brewery continues to pioneer the use of both
Omachi rice, Japan’s oldest premium sake rice,
and bodaimoto, a medieval brewing technique
which imparts earthy and complex flavours.

Hinomaru Jozo

Founded in 1689, the brewery is renowned for its
small-batch production of premium sake, using
artisanal methods to deliver full-bodied flavours.
The brewery is committed to using local
ingredients to produce outstanding craft sake,
drawing upon its 300 years of skill and tradition.

Ichinokura

Ichinokura was formed in 1973 through the
merger of four local breweries. Using beautifully
clear ground water from the Ou mountains and
locally grown rice, the brewery strives to
maintain traditional techniques while pioneering
new sake types for modern drinkers.

Naba Shoten Ginrin

Ginrin started life in 1807 as a trading house
supplying the ruling feudal clan, and
subsequently moved into sake brewing, where it
has since built up a formidable reputation. The
name Ginrin, meaning “Silver Scales”, is taken
from a folk song celebrating successful fishing.

Umenoyado Brewery

This brewery has been producing great quality
sake in small batches since 1893, using rice
perfect for sake and the water of the Katsuragi
mountains. The name, meaning “Plum
Residence”, refers to the nightingales that nest
in the plum trees in the brewery gardens.