Hakutsuru Sake to Release Ultra-Premium "HAKUTSURU SAKE CRAFT THE PREMIUM 2026" in a Limited Edition of 64 Bottles, Fulfilling the Master Brewer's Dream

Hakutsuru Sake Co., Ltd. will release a limited edition of 64 bottles of "HAKUTSURU SAKE CRAFT THE PREMIUM 2026," brewed at its microbrewery "HAKUTSURU SAKE CRAFT" located within the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum, on Saturday, May 23. The bottles will be available at the museum and the official Hakutsuru online shop. For this "THE PREMIUM" release, the company has undertaken an extraordinarily laborious process, a first for Hakutsuru, that would be impossible in regular sake production. The raw material rice, "Hakutsuru Nishiki," was specially selected from the best fields of the agricultural corporation "Hakutsuru Farm" in Tamba-Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture. After polishing, each grain was visually inspected one by one over 100 hours in a process called "full-grain visual selection." The brewing water used is from the Rokko mountain range, with its mineral concentration enhanced over time. The resulting sake is one that Mr. Ban, the head brewer (Toji) in charge of "HAKUTSURU SAKE CRAFT," comments is "more delicious than any sake I have ever tasted." This sake fulfills the Toji's long-held dream of making good sake using the best rice and water, a feat made possible by "HAKUTSURU SAKE CRAFT." The moment it enters the mouth, an overwhelming aroma of tropical fruits rises, followed by a rich sweetness and acidity reminiscent of fresh-squeezed natural juice that spreads across the palate. The finish is a clean acidity like a crisp apple, which pleasantly disappears from the back of the mouth down the throat. Additionally, on the same day, during the "Hakutsuru 2026 Spring 'Sakagura Kaiho' (Sake Brewery Open House)" event (*1), the Toji will hold three product briefing sessions (starting at 11:00, 13:00, and 14:00) inside the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum. Product Information: Product Name: HAKUTSURU SAKE CRAFT THE PREMIUM 2026. Volume: 720ml. Category: Japanese Sake. Retail Price: JPY 111,100 (tax included). Ingredients: Rice (domestic), Rice Koji (domestic rice). Rice Used: 100% Hakutsuru Nishiki (Produced by Hakutsuru Farm in Tamba-Sasayama, Hyogo). Rice Polishing Ratio: 38%. Total Rice Used in Brewing: 33kg (full-grain visual selection). Alcohol Content: 14%. Specific Designation: Junmai Daiginjo. Yeast Used: Hi-EtCap380. Flavor Profile: Overwhelming aroma of tropical fruits, with a rich sweetness and acidity like fresh-squeezed juice spreading in the mouth. Toji's Comment: "It has been a long-held dream of mine to try making sake by thoroughly selecting the rice. This method is called 'full-grain visual selection,' where every single grain is visually inspected. This is practically impossible in our normal sake brewing, where we use at least 500 kg of rice per batch. However, I thought that at the scale of 'HAKUTSURU SAKE CRAFT,' this dream could be realized. Over about 100 hours, I visually inspected each grain to select about 30 kg of the best rice. I also enhanced the mineral concentration of the Rokko water, considered optimal for sake brewing, by heating it in a water bath. Since its establishment in September 2024, 'HAKUTSURU SAKE CRAFT' has accumulated know-how in producing the finest sake in very small batches. I was able to apply this expertise to this even smaller-scale brewing. While there might be a 'my child is the cutest' bias, my impression is that 'I have never had such a delicious sake before.'" Release Date: May 23, 2026 (Saturday). Sales Quantity: 64 bottles. Sales Locations: Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum and official online shop. 'HAKUTSURU SAKE CRAFT' is a microbrewery that opened in September 2024 inside the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum. In a space of just 37 square meters, it is equipped with facilities capable of producing even the highest quality Daiginjo, and it handles all brewing processes from rice washing to bottling. Visitors can view the brewing equipment and fermenting mash through glass and may even see the brewing process depending on the schedule. Here, a Toji and a brewer (Kurabito) are taking on the challenge of exploring new possibilities for SAKE (*2) created from rice, unbound by categories. The finished SAKE is sold only at the brewery museum, and since the same quality is never replicated, each bottle is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. Through 'HAKUTSURU SAKE CRAFT', the company hopes to make sake brewing feel more accessible and to deepen interest in Japanese sake, ultimately contributing to its popularity. They are producing premium Japanese sake, original sake using special brewing methods and unused yeasts from their own collection of over 480 types, and other brewed beverages using hops, ginger, etc. In the future, they plan to undertake initiatives possible only at 'HAKUTSURU SAKE CRAFT', such as custom-made SAKE orders and collaborations with other industries.