Tsuki No Katsura 'Iwai 88' Junmai

The Story

At an 88% polishing rate (meaning on 12% of the rice grain was polished away), this sake is about as close to the whole grain as you can get - and that's entirely the point. Tsuki no Katsura's Kyoto Iwai Rice 88% is a deliberate celebration of what happens when you trust your ingredients. The locally grown, pesticide-free Iwai rice is barely polished at all, preserving the powerful, full-bodied flavor and natural sweetness that careful farming produces. Where most premium sakes strip away the outer layers of the grain, this one keeps them, resulting in a sake with rich depth, concentrated umami, and an aroma like freshly steamed rice straight from the pot.

Tasting Profile

Aroma: Warm and inviting; freshly steamed rice with a gentle earthiness.

Palate: Full-bodied and rich, with concentrated umami and the natural sweetness of the high quality sake rice. There's a depth and power here that is a hallmark of lightly polished sake.

Finish: Surprisingly smooth and refreshing given the low polish, with a clean finish that invites another sip.

Serving & Pairing

Serving Temperature: Room temperature or gently warmed to bring out the full rice character. Also lovely and a bit more restrained when slightly chilled.

Food Pairings: The umami-rich profile loves dashi based dishes, simmered vegetables, grilled fish, and hearty meat dishes. Think traditional Japanese home cooking - this sake was made for it.

Why We Love It

We love this bottle because it flips the script on what "premium" sake means. In an world often focused on low polishing ratios, this 88% junmai makes a compelling case for the opposite approach. When you start with exceptional rice grown with care, you don't need to polish away most of it. The result is a sake with character, depth, and a sense of place that highly polished sake often trade for lightness and elegance. It's a statement bottle from a brewery that's never been afraid to challenge conventions.

Specs

About the Brewery: Masuda Tokubee Shoten (Tsuki no Katsura)
Founded in 1675 in Fushimi, Kyoto, Masuda Tokubee Shoten is a brewery with a serious claim to fame: in 1964, the 13th generation invented Japan's first sparkling nigori-zake, creating an entirely new category of sake. The following year, they began aging junmai daiginjo in porcelain jars for long-term maturation, pioneering yet another style. The brewery continues to honor tradition while pushing boundaries, reviving locally grown Kyoto sake rice varieties like Iwai, developing lower-alcohol options, and blending centuries of craft with modern sensibilities. Their brand name, Tsuki no Katsura ("Moon Laurel"), reflects the elegance and refinement they bring to everything they make.