Sake by flavor

The words drinkers in Japan use most when they describe a sake — and the brands they use them for.

酸味 · 106 brands

Acidic sake

Bright, tangy sake with lively acidity — great with fatty or fried food.

辛口 · 94 brands

Dry sake

Karakuchi: clean, dry sake that finishes sharp rather than sweet.

旨味 · 138 brands

Umami-rich sake

Savory, rice-driven sake with depth — the classic partner for food.

フルーティ · 70 brands

Fruity sake

Sake with fruit-forward aromas like melon, apple and pear — an easy way in for wine drinkers.

スッキリ · 67 brands

Clean, crisp sake

Sukkiri: sake that tastes clear and leaves no heaviness behind.

しっかり · 14 brands

Full-bodied sake

Sake with weight and presence on the palate.

甘味 · 104 brands

Sweet sake

Sake with noticeable sweetness, from gently honeyed to dessert-like.

バランス · 4 brands

Balanced sake

Sake where sweetness, acidity and umami sit in harmony — nothing sticks out.

キレ · 6 brands

Sake with a crisp finish

Kire: sake that cuts off cleanly after you swallow.

華やか · 13 brands

Floral, aromatic sake

Hanayaka: sake with a showy, perfumed nose — think ginjo aromas.

ワイン · 12 brands

Wine-like sake

Sake that drinkers compare to white wine — often acidic and fruity.

濃厚 · 12 brands

Rich sake

Noko: dense, concentrated sake with plenty of flavor.

常温 · 10 brands

Sake to drink at room temperature

Sake that drinkers in Japan enjoy at room temperature (jo-on), not just chilled.

メロン · 10 brands

Sake that tastes like melon

Melon is a classic ginjo aroma. These are the sakes drinkers most often describe that way.

熱燗 · 13 brands

Sake to drink hot

Atsukan: sake that drinkers in Japan say opens up when heated.

リンゴ · 6 brands

Sake that tastes like apple

Sake with green or red apple notes, often from specific yeasts.

フレッシュ · 29 brands

Fresh sake

Lively, youthful sake — often unpasteurized nama or recently pressed.

甘酸っぱい · 4 brands

Sweet-tart sake

Amazuppai: sake where sweetness and acidity play off each other, like fruit juice.

ジューシー · 5 brands

Juicy sake

Mouth-watering, fruit-juice-like sake — a modern favorite in Japan.

バナナ · 4 brands

Sake that tastes like banana

Banana notes come from isoamyl acetate, a common ginjo aroma compound.

ヨーグルト · 8 brands

Sake with yogurt-like notes

Lactic, creamy notes — often from kimoto or yamahai brewing.

ガス · 53 brands

Lightly fizzy sake

Sake with a natural prickle of gas — often fresh, unpasteurized bottlings.

さわやか · 21 brands

Refreshing sake

Sawayaka: bright, breezy sake for warm days.

Flavor profiles and rankings: Sakenowa (さけのわ) open data, built from drinkers' check-ins in Japan.