Akashi-Tai Honjozo Tokubetsu Sake
Akashi-Tai Honjozo Tokubetsu Sake is a 15% ABV honjozo sake brewed from 100% Gohyakumangoku rice milled to 60% — ginjo-grade polishing in a honjozo style — at the family-run Akashi Sake Brewery in Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, in this 750mL bottle. "Tokubetsu" means special, and the special treatment shows: the extra milling plus a small addition of distilled alcohol before pressing delivers a crisp, semi-dry (SMV +2) sake with clean, savory depth and a long finish. Vegan and gluten-free. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 15% — honjozo style, Sake Meter Value +2 (semi-dry)
- Size: 750mL, screw cap
- Rice: 100% Gohyakumangoku, polished to 60%
- Brewery: Akashi Sake Brewery, Akashi City, Hyogo — Yonezawa family, Toji Kimio Yonezawa (4th generation)
- Notes: Vegan and gluten-free; serve chilled to warm (6–50°C)
Hyogo's Honjozo, Milled Like a Ginjo
Honjozo is sake's savory workhorse: a measured addition of distilled alcohol before pressing that lifts aroma and stretches the finish. Akashi-Tai's tokubetsu bottling takes that style and mills its Gohyakumangoku rice to 60% — the polishing grade of a ginjo — for a sake that drinks cleaner and more precise than its humble category suggests. It sits at the entry of the brand's connoisseur range, brewed by fourth-generation Toji Kimio Yonezawa in a coastal Hyogo brewery. Explore more sake or the full Akashi-Tai range.
Tasting Notes
Crisp and dry-leaning with a savory, umami-tinged core: light grain and steamed-rice aromatics, a clean mineral line through the middle, and the gentle roundness that honjozo's alcohol addition brings. The +2 sake meter value keeps it firmly food-friendly, finishing long and tidy with a whisper of nuttiness.
How to Enjoy
Serve chilled (6–10°C) as an aperitif or alongside sushi and sashimi, or gently warm it toward 40–50°C to open up the savory depth for grilled fish, tempura, or mushroom dishes. The screw cap makes a second glass tomorrow easy. Because it is vegan and gluten-free, it fits nearly any table.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "tokubetsu honjozo" mean?
"Tokubetsu" means special — here it refers to the Gohyakumangoku rice being milled to 60%, a ginjo-grade polish, while the sake stays in the honjozo style (a small addition of distilled alcohol before pressing for clean, savory flavor and a longer finish).
Where is Akashi-Tai sake made?
At the Akashi Sake Brewery in Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan — a family-run brewery led by fourth-generation Toji Kimio Yonezawa.
Is Akashi-Tai Honjozo Tokubetsu gluten-free?
Yes — the brand states this sake is both vegan and gluten-free.
For a crisp, savory honjozo with ginjo-grade polish, order Akashi-Tai Honjozo Tokubetsu Sake online from Del Mesa Liquor — 750mL, ready for pickup or delivery in San Diego, CA.