Hakutsuru, Daiginjo, 720ml
Light, fragrant and crisp: Hakutsuru Daiginjo, rice polished to 50%, made for easy drinking at 15.5%.
Daiginjo is the top polishing grade, the rice milled to 50% for a clean, fragrant style, and this Hakutsuru is its more delicate, easy-drinking side. A small amount of brewing alcohol is added to lighten the body and lift the aroma, giving melon and pear notes, delicate floral aromatics and a crisp finish. At 15.5%, from the Nada brewery founded in 1743, it is an elegant, approachable introduction to premium sake, at its best lightly chilled.
Why Chefs Choose This
- Top polishing grade: daiginjo, rice milled to 50% for a clean, fragrant character
- Light and crisp: a touch of brewing alcohol lifts the aroma and keeps the body elegant
- Fruit and flowers: melon and pear with delicate floral aromatics and a clean finish
- Hakutsuru pedigree: from Nada, Kobe, by a house founded in 1743
How to Serve
- Lightly chilled: 10 to 15°C keeps the aromatics fresh and the finish crisp
- Wine glass: a tulip glass shows the melon and pear better than a small cup
- Avoid heat: warming flattens the fragrance, so keep it cool
- As an aperitif: light enough to open a meal, clean enough for sashimi and lighter dishes
Daiginjo (大吟醸) means the rice has been polished to at least 50% of its original size, the most demanding milling grade, then fermented long and cool to develop fragrant, fruity aromatics. Unlike a junmai daiginjo, a daiginjo has a small, measured amount of distilled brewing alcohol added near the end of fermentation. This is a stylistic choice: it draws out aroma and lightens the body, giving a cleaner, more fragrant sake. Hakutsuru (白鶴) has brewed in Nada since 1743, a district known for its hard water and centuries of toji tradition.
Learn more: Hakutsuru Sake: Everything You Need to Know
Is daiginjo with added alcohol lower quality than junmai daiginjo?
No, just different. Both are polished to at least 50%, so both sit at the top milling grade. Junmai uses only rice, water and koji; daiginjo adds a small measured amount of brewing alcohol to lighten the body and amplify the aromatics. Junmai daiginjo tends to be a touch richer and rounder; daiginjo tends to be lighter, crisper and more openly fragrant. Neither is better. This one is the lighter, more aromatic side of premium sake.
Product Details
| Grade | Daiginjo (大吟醸) |
| Brand | Hakutsuru (白鶴), founded 1743 |
| Rice Polish | 50% |
| Alcohol | 15.5% vol |
| Sake Meter Value | +3 (off-dry) |
| Acidity | 1.3 |
| Volume | 720ml bottle |
| Serve | Lightly chilled, 10 to 15°C |
| Origin | Nada, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan |
What does Sake Meter Value (+3) mean?
Sake Meter Value, or nihonshu-do, is a rough measure of dryness. Positive numbers lean dry, negative numbers lean sweet. At +3 this daiginjo sits just on the dry side, off-dry rather than bone dry, which keeps it crisp while still showing its fruit. Acidity and aroma also shape how sweet or dry a sake tastes, so treat it as a guide.
What temperature should I serve it at?
Lightly chilled, around 10 to 15°C. Its appeal is in the aromatics, so gentle chilling keeps the melon, pear and floral notes fresh. Do not warm it, which dulls the fragrance. Take it from the fridge a few minutes before serving so it is cool rather than ice-cold, and use a wine glass to help the aroma open.
How should I store it?
Keep it cool and out of direct light, ideally refrigerated, particularly once opened. Daiginjo is delicate and its aromatics fade with heat and light. Stand the bottle upright and, once opened, drink it within a week or two while the fragrance is at its best.
SKU : x0046