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IWC Sake: 59 gold medals awarded to 50 sake breweries

Published:  20 May, 2016

International Wine Challenge Sake 2016 awarded 59 gold medals to 50 sake breweries across Japan at this year's competition.

A total of 1,282 sakes were entered and tasted by 57 international judges.

"This competition is completely unique bringing together such an international panel of judges, with half being Japanese and half being from overseas.  With only 4.6% of Sake entered receiving a Gold medal, it is clear this is a highly competitive event and the winners should be immensely proud of their achievement," said president Takeshi Sekiya of Sake Samurai association, which partnered with IWC Sake.

Trophies were awarded to 37 sake for sub-regions and best in class for each of the nine sake categories.

The Junmai Daiginjo style of sake took 16 of the gold medals, with the Junmai style sake being awarded 12 gold medals.

There were an additional 196 sake silver medallists and 245 bronze medallists.

Yamagata brewery, Dewazakura took home two IWC sake trophies as did Hyogo, which produced four Gold medal winners, two of which received trophies.

Dewazakura Dewanosato was awarded the best Junmai and the Dewazakura Oka took home the Ginjo Ginjo trophy, both from the Yamagata brewery.

Amanoto Junmai Daiginjo 35 by Asamai Shuzo took home the Junmai Daiginjo trophy.

Hachinohe Shuzo received the Daiginjo trophy for its Mutsu-Hassen Daiginjo while Miyashita secured the Koshu trophy for its Koshu Eikyu no kagayaki.

The Junmai Ginjo trophy went to Aoki Shuzo for its Gokeiji Junmai Ginjo.

The Honjozo trophy was given to Nanbu Bijin's Honjozo Nanbubijin.

Watanabe Shuzouten received the Futsu-shu trophy for its Hourai Tensaitouji sake. The IWC Sparkling Sake trophy went to Tosa Brewing Company for its Sparkling Sake "John".

IWC also named Dewazakura in recognition its ongoing success the Brewery of the Decade.

The Great Value award as well as the Champion Sake 2016 chosen from the nine trophy winners will be announced at the annual IWC Awards dinner which will be hosted on 7th of July in London. 

"It has been a privilege to have been working in partnership with the Sake Samurai Association for the past decade to boost international awareness and export, as well as increasing the popularity of Sake within Japan," said Andrew Reed managing director of the IWC.

This was the ninth year of the IWC Sake competition.

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