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Sake Top 10 – Mei’s Top 10 Valentine Day Sakes

Top Ten Valentines February 2015a

Valentine’s Day Shmalintine’s Day! Who Cares? Big Whoop! OVERRATED! If you want to know the true Valentine story read the section Valentine’s Day The Sake Way, but if you are into it the hoopla of Valentine’s Day then sake is a must! I asked our resident love and romance specialist Mei to select 10 sakes that exude passion and love, and perhaps even a dash of lust from our portfolio. What follows is an excellent list of sakes to give to your special friend that is not part of the tired red roses, chocolates, stuffy bear, and candy heart repertoire. Sake is fresh and cool like you! So this Valentine’s Day give a little bit of yourself – give sake!

Well in any case, back to those who truly want to celebrate a day for love and romance. I asked our resident love and romance specialist Mei to select 10 sakes that exude passion and love, and perhaps even a dash of lust from our portfolio. What follows is an excellent list of sakes to give your special friend that is not part of the tired red roses, chocolates, stuffed bear, and candy heart repertoire. Sake is fresh and cool and could very well “Work every time!”

10) Ichishima Karen “Coy”

  • With a name like “Coy” this extremely light and fruity Junmai that is low in alcohol is a perfect gift for those looking to keep it cool! And it’s pink!
Top Ten Valentines February 2015b

9) Amabuki “Strawberry”

  • Now this is what we are talking about! A sake that is made using strawberry yeast! How cool is that? You almost kill two birds with one stone by giving your Valentine fruit and sake in the same package. Well Played! (And the bottle is pretty damn cool too)

8) Tsukasabotan “Hana” “Pink Peony”

  • If you are going to give flowers this Valentine’s Day (Go to Birchsf.com) don’t go the old red roses route! Think about an affordable bottle of sake with a beautiful pink flower on the label and a very nice white wine like sake on the inside that is dry and flavorful. And the bottle can become a flower vase!

7) Ippongi Ginkobai “Ume Shu”

  • For those who want to mix it up this V-day, give a “plum wine.” This extremely tasty plum infused sake has a brilliant sweetness and is the definition of flavorful. It’s great with ice cream too! And the packaging looks very apropos.

6) Dewazakura Oka “Cherry Bouquet”

  • So, is sushi part of your Valentine’s Day scenario? If so, this super aromatic Ginjo is one of our top selling sushi pairing sakes and with a name like cherry bouquet you cannot go wrong! The flower petals on the bottle fit the bill and we carry this sake in three sizes: 300ml for little lovers, 720ml for wine sized lovers, and 1.8L for those who are crazy in love.
Top Ten Valentines February 2015c

5) Chikurin Hou Hou Shu Hana “Bubble Bubble Flower Sake”

  • Stop the presses! You did it! You found the perfect sake gift to give to your special Valentine. And no it’s not Champagne! It’s sparkling sake that is crisp and lively and does very well in a champagne flute. And this truly is packaged for Valentine’s Day with an amazing array of pinkness! A wonderfully affordable gift that will open eyes and mouths!

 

4) Kikuhime BY “Chrysanthemum Princess”

  • So you want to blow somebody away for Valentine’s Day? You want to go the big dollar route and impress your lover with a “hey check me out” sake? BY is the way to do it! This “Princess” is one of the best made sakes in Japan and pound for pound it can be stacked up against any competition sake. Beau once said that he wants to be embalmed in BY when he dies.

3) Shirataki Jozen “Pink”

  • This is perhaps one of the coolest and most stylish sake bottles in the sake business. Beveled and pink! Holy Smokes! What says “Be Mine” like beveled and pink? And of course what is on the inside is pure Niigata Prefecture clean and dry nectar. One of the top brews in Japan in one of the best packages!
Top Ten Valentines February 2015d

2) Wakatakeya A Zen “Ai” “LOVE”

  • This was last year’s top Valentine sake for good reason – it’s name! Love. It is also one of the best looking bottles with a great red box (move over red boxes of chocolates), but the real deal is on the inside. This is an aged, or koshu, sake that is made with almost brown rice. Meaning the 80% milling level is very close to brown rice. Thick, rich, sweet, and savory it actually goes well with chocolate or any game or huge meats that you have prepared for the day of love.

1) Ohyama “Fu-in” Big Mountain

  • Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! This awesome tasting sake that is bright, fruity, balanced and simply delicious is a perfect gift for your Valentine. No, not because of the killer red bag that the bottle comes in! It is perfect because you will present this baby chilled and you will get to enjoy this sake together with your V-day partner, drinking an amazing brew and feeling love. As much love as the makers of this sake put into that green bottle. This is Valentine’s Day in a bottle.
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