Dassai 39 Junmai Japanese Sake 72cl

Fresh, precise, and dangerously drinkable—this is the sake you bring out when you want everyone at the table to go, “Wait… sake can taste like this?” It’s a Junmai style (made with just rice, water, yeast, and koji), but with a super-polished approach that makes the flavours pop instead of feeling weighty.

Dassai’s “39” is the big clue: the rice is polished down to 39% of its original size. Less outer rice means fewer rough edges, more pure fruit-and-flower character, and that clean, snappy feel that makes good Japanese sake so addictive.

• Nose: Ripe pear, honeydew melon, soft florals, and a hint of steamed rice.
• Taste: Bright orchard fruit up front, a gentle sweetness, and a silky texture that stays light on its feet.
• Finish: Crisp and tidy, with a little fruit linger that makes the next sip a no-brainer.

If your only reference point is hot sake from a random restaurant, this is your reset button. It’s clean, modern, and crowd-pleasing, but still has enough personality to keep seasoned sake fans interested.

It’s also a killer “food friend” sake: the fruit-and-floral profile plays nicely with sushi and sashimi, salty snacks, grilled seafood, and anything with a bit of soy, ginger, or citrus in the mix.

And if you’re building your home bar beyond whisky and gin, this is one of the easiest bottles to justify—low drama, high reward, and a great way to get curious about what sake can do.

Fun fact: “Dassai” means “otter festival” — a nod to otters laying out fish like an offering, which is basically the cutest possible origin story for a serious sake producer.