Dassai Daiginjo Sake

As drinkers outside of Japan are discovering, there is sake, there is fine sake known as junmai, and then there is

daiginjo-shu. One of the finest daiginjo brands is Dassai.

This unexpected label surprised the world by redefining luxury sake — coming from Asahi Shuzo, a small, rural brewery that in the mid-1990s, concentrated its efforts on creating the most transcendent drink possible. They take the finest grade of brown rice, yamada

nishiki, and mill away more than 75 percent of each grain, leaving only the pure, white, innermost core. These rice hearts are then fermented in clean, mountain water at a low temperature over a long period of time. The resulting drink — best served chilled — has a hauntingly fine aroma and a flavor that is both sweetly fruity and silky smooth. The Dassai 50, 39, and 23 are deliciously well-made sakes, but check out the “Beyond” project for an even greater step up into luxury taste.