Dassai 39, Junmai Daiginjo, 720ml
The Junmai Daiginjo that put Japanese sake on fine dining wine lists across the world.
Why Chefs Choose This
- Precision milling: Yamada Nishiki rice polished down to 39% of its original size, well inside the Junmai Daiginjo threshold, for a clean, refined finish.
- No added alcohol: brewed from rice, water and koji only, so the flavour is entirely down to the rice and the brewing.
- Menu-ready presentation: the label carries enough recognition that guests order it by name.
- Versatile pairing: light and fragrant enough to sit alongside delicate raw fish without fighting it.
How to Use
- Sashimi and nigiri: classic pairing, chilled to around 10°C so the aroma stays lifted.
- Tasting flights: a benchmark Junmai Daiginjo to set against other premium sake by the glass.
- Western fine dining: works with scallop, oyster and other delicate seafood courses outside Japanese menus.
- Gifting: a 720ml bottle that reads as a considered gift rather than a supermarket one.
Dassai (獺祭, "otter's festival") is brewed by Asahi Shuzo in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The name comes from a folk image of otters laying out fish on a riverbank as if presenting an offering, a term later borrowed for a scholar surrounded by open books. The "39" refers to the seimai buai, the percentage of the Yamada Nishiki rice grain left after polishing away the outer 61%. Junmai Daiginjo requires 50% or less; Dassai 39 goes further, which is part of why it built a following well beyond Japan.
What does Dassai 39 Junmai Daiginjo taste like?
Expect a clean, fragrant nose with soft fruit notes, then a light, polished body with no rough edges from added alcohol, since none is used. The finish is smooth and short rather than lingering, which is what makes it easy to drink alongside food instead of over it. Serve it chilled rather than warm, the fine milling is built to be tasted cold.
| Type | Junmai Daiginjo (純米大吟醸) sake, no added distilled alcohol |
| Brand | Dassai, brewed by Asahi Shuzo |
| Key Feature | Yamada Nishiki rice polished to 39% (seimai buai) |
| Origin | Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan |
| Volume / Format | 720ml glass bottle, 16% ABV |
| Best Used As | Chilled sipping sake for sushi, sashimi and fine dining seafood courses |
What does the "39" in Dassai 39 mean?
It is the seimai buai, the percentage of the rice grain left after polishing. Dassai 39 has 61% of each grain milled away, leaving 39%. Junmai Daiginjo only requires 50% or less, so this is a deeper polish than the grade demands, which is part of why the sake is so clean and refined.
Should Dassai 39 be served chilled or warm?
Chilled, around 10°C. Junmai Daiginjo is brewed to show off delicate aroma from the highly polished rice, and warming it flattens that fragrance. Take it straight from the fridge to the table.
How should I store Dassai 39 after opening?
Reseal the cap, keep it in the fridge and drink within a few days for the best aroma. Sake is more delicate than wine once open and loses its lift with warmth and time.
SKU : H0347