Dassai Junmai Daiginjou Migaki Sanwari Kyubu 39 (300 ml)

When Hiroshi Sakurai launched the Dassai brand in 1990, he made a commitment considered extraordinary even within Japan: every expression in the range would be Junmai Daiginjo — no lower grades, no added alcohol, no compromise. The 39 sits at the heart of that commitment, with 61% of each Yamada Nishiki grain milled away, leaving only the starchy core that ferments into the house's signature silky, fruit-driven profile.

The brewery occupies a mountain valley in Shuto-cho, Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, where the regional water is classified Seiryu — exceptionally soft, clear mountain water purified further on-site. Soft water produces a gentler, more delicate fermentation, amplifying the aromatic lift that Yamada Nishiki, the undisputed premium sake rice, is bred to deliver.

Production is technically meticulous: rice is washed in 10 kg batches in running water and soaked approximately 15 minutes; koji is applied entirely by hand; fermentation runs in small individual tanks with temperature carefully controlled through moromi. Two parallel brewing teams vary water absorption rates and fermentation temperatures batch-to-batch, comparing results — a data-driven artisan model that replaces the traditional seasonal toji system with permanent year-round staff.

The special feature: Dassai was the first sake brewery in Japan to deploy a centrifuge commercially, separating sake from mash without pressure to preserve maximum aromatic integrity. Bottling follows the patented Hayata method — filled cold (<5°C), hot-water-shower pasteurized, then immediately rapid-cooled — locking in freshness that conventional hi-ire cannot match. Drink within the near term for peak aromatic expression.