UNFILTERED Archives: Japan

Kirinzan – Top of the Class in Niigata, Japan

Kirinzan – Top of the Class in Niigata, Japan
Although just a short two-hour train ride north of Tokyo on the bullet train, the mountainous area of Niigata is a world apart from the lights and hustle of earth’s largest urban center. Niigata faces out to the Pacific Ocean...

Nishiyama Shuzo: Poet of the Sake World

Nishiyama Shuzo: Poet of the Sake World
Founded by the Nishiyama family in 1849, the sake brewery Nishiyama Shuzo is located in the heart of Hyogo Prefecture, one of the finest sake regions in the country. While sake from Hyogo is most famously associated with a cluster...

Some Like it Hot: The Surprising Elegance of Warm Sake

Some Like it Hot: The Surprising Elegance of Warm Sake
Once most people discover great Japanese sake the first thing they do is jettison the hot stuff and dive right into the world of flowery and delicate ginjo sake. While premium ginjo grade sake is gorgeous and thrilling, ignoring the...

Isojiman Shuzo: Sake from the Seashore

Isojiman Shuzo: Sake from the Seashore
Few breweries in Japan have as defined a sense of purpose and as clear an identity as the revered Isojiman Shuzo from Shizuoka prefecture. Eighth-generation Yoji Teraoka, the current president of Isojiman Shuzo, began to take over the business from...

Starting Points for the Sake Novice

Starting Points for the Sake Novice
The world of Japanese sake may seem like a lot to take on: the labels are beautiful but written with a tangle of unfamiliar characters! The very best sake has a haunting flavor that always seems just out of reach and always just...

Introducing Our Japanese Portfolio!

Introducing Our Japanese Portfolio!
Here at Skurnik Wines and Spirits we are very excited to expand our horizons into the wide world of Japanese sake and spirits! Japanese whiskey in particular has deservedly received a lot of attention in the past few years as...