Rice, water, kōji and yeast, nothing added. Fuller, more savoury, hungry for food.
A small splash of brewer's alcohol lifts the aroma and lightens the body. Smooth and easy-drinking.
Rice milled down further, so it turns aromatic and fruity. "Junmai ginjo" = a ginjo made pure-rice.
The silky, perfumed, special-occasion end. Dai means "big", so it's literally "big ginjo".
Roughly filtered, with rice solids left in. Creamy and gently sweet. Good with spicy food.
Fresh, vivid and a little wild. Keep it cold, drink it young.
Bottled without adding water, so it's bigger and bolder, sometimes up to 19%.
Slow, traditional starters that make an earthy, tangy, complex sake. The funky end.
The mould that turns rice starch into sugar so yeast can ferment it. The craft heart of sake.
How much of the grain is left. "50%" means half was milled away. The lower the number, the more delicate.
The little serving set. Charming when offered, never required. A wine glass works fine.
Want the whole thing on one printable card? It's in the free Starter Kit, under "read any label in five words".