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How do you read a sake label?

Most of the words on a sake label describe how it was made, not how it tastes. Junmai means rice, koji and water only; ginjo and daiginjo mean the rice was milled further and fermented cool. To guess the taste, read two numbers instead: the sake meter value for sweet-to-dry, and the acidity for how firmly it finishes.

Updated 14 July 2026

What is the difference between junmai, ginjo and daiginjo?

Two things separate them: whether brewer's alcohol was added, and how far the rice was milled. It is not a quality ladder. Heavily milled sake tends to be lighter and more aromatic; less-milled sake tastes more of the rice itself.

Classification and polishing ratio
ClassificationPolishing ratioAdded alcoholTends to be
Junmai daiginjo50% or lessNoneAromatic, light, clean
Daiginjo50% or lessYesHighly aromatic, lighter still
Junmai ginjo60% or lessNoneBetween aroma and rice character
Ginjo60% or lessYesAromatic and crisp
Tokubetsu junmai60% or less, or a special methodNoneRice character forward
JunmaiNo requirementNoneFuller; often good warmed
Honjozo70% or lessYesLight, made for drinking with food

A polishing ratio of 40% means the grain was milled down to 40% of its original size — 60% of it was ground away. The lower the number, the more was removed. It does not mean "40% removed".

What do the sake meter value and acidity tell me?

Reading the numbers
FigureTypical rangeWhat it means
Sake meter value (SMV)−5 to +10Higher and more positive is drier; negative is sweeter
Acidity1.0 to 2.0Higher finishes firmer and stands up to food
Alcohol by volume13% to 17%Lower feels lighter; easier before or with a meal
Polishing ratio23% to 70%Lower means milled further, usually more aromatic

Read the two together. SMV +3 with acidity 1.4 is slightly dry with a short finish that stays out of the way of food. SMV −2 with acidity 1.8 reads as sweet but firm.

Every bottle here lists both figures in its specification table.

What temperature should it be served at?

Temperature and its name
TemperatureNameSuits
5–10 °CYukihie / hanahieDaiginjo, ginjo, unpasteurised and sparkling sake
15–20 °CRoom temperatureJunmai and tokubetsu junmai
Around 40 °CNurukan (warm)Junmai and honjozo — the rice sweetness opens up
Around 50 °CAtsukan (hot)Fuller junmai, for winter food
  • Warming an aromatic sake can break the aroma and turn it bitter. Keep daiginjo cold.
  • Namazake (unpasteurised) must stay refrigerated, and is best finished within a week of opening.
  • Pasteurised sake keeps at room temperature away from light — which is why only pasteurised bottles travel to hotels or abroad.
  • A white-wine glass lifts the aroma; a small ochoko keeps the sake cold for longer.

Which bottle works as a gift?

  • For someone new to sake, an aromatic junmai daiginjo is the easiest to appreciate.
  • For someone who drinks with dinner, look for junmai or tokubetsu junmai with acidity of 1.4 or above.
  • For a recipient abroad or visiting Japan, choose a pasteurised 720 ml bottle — it travels at room temperature.
  • Bottles that come boxed can be handed over as they are; the product page shows the box.

Questions

How long does an opened bottle keep?
One to two weeks refrigerated, and within a week for unpasteurised sake. Re-cork it and keep the bottle upright; air is what dulls the aroma.
Does sake have an expiry date?
Bottles carry a production date rather than an expiry; pasteurised sake is at its best for about a year. It does not spoil, but the colour and aroma change. Keep it cool and dark.
What is koshu?
Sake deliberately aged for years. It turns amber, and picks up aromas closer to nuts and dried fruit. It works both chilled and warmed.

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