Nama-Genshu

You only need to translate “Nama-genshu” to understand what kind of sake it refers to. “Nama” means “alive” or “raw” and “genshu” means “undiluted”. Nama-genshu sakes are therefore unpasteurised sakes that have not been diluted with water. Unsurprisingly, they tend to have a silky texture, high alcohol content and a decidedly honey, grain and nut flavour.

Unpasteurised sakes, or ‘nama’, are sought after for their great freshness and feared for their fragility. These are lively sakes that beautifully convey the power of their ingredients: water, rice, koji and yeast. Similarly, the undiluted ‘genshu’ cuvées seek to preserve the raw, natural character of the sake. These two ‘non-interventionist’ approaches to nama-genshu are reminiscent of the trend towards ‘natural’ wines.

They are more fragile drinks, but they’re also much more alive!