The Sake Anatomy › Sake Brand Index › Kamotsuru
No.18 · Brewery Profile
Kamotsuru賀茂鶴 · Kamotsuru Sake Brewing 賀茂鶴酒造
Kamotsuru, founded in 1873 in the brewing town of Saijo, helped pioneer commercial daiginjo with its 1958 Tokusei Gold — a golden-flecked classic still made today. The same daiginjo was served in 2014 when President Obama dined with Prime Minister Abe at Sukiyabashi Jiro in Ginza.
Who makes Kamotsuru?
Kamotsuru Sake Brewing, founded around 1873 in the brewing town of Saijo, Hiroshima. The brewery helped pioneer commercial daiginjo with its 1958 Tokusei Gold, a golden-flecked classic still made today — the same daiginjo served in 2014 when President Obama dined with Prime Minister Abe at Sukiyabashi Jiro in Ginza.
What does Kamotsuru taste like?
Tagged Elegant & Refined, the Tokusei Gold is a balanced daiginjo classic with a published SMV of +1.5. The Junmai Ginjo is fuller-bodied with rich, dry umami, while the Souhana Daiginjo, milled to 32% and used as G7 toast sake, is the most aromatic of the three at 5/5.
Which bottle should you try first?
Start with Tokusei Gold, the 1958 original and the bottle tied to the brewery’s most notable historical moment, the 2014 Obama-Abe dinner.
How does Kamotsuru compare to other Hiroshima breweries?
Kamotsuru’s Elegant & Refined tag is shared most closely with prefecture-mate Ugonotsuki (Elegant & Refined, Aromatic & Fruity) and Kamoizumi (Rich & Umami, Elegant & Refined). Taketsuru sits furthest apart, tagged Rich & Umami and Dry & Crisp — a fuller, drier style than Kamotsuru’s refined daiginjo tradition.
Frequently asked questions
When was Tokusei Gold first released?
In 1958.
What historic dinner served Kamotsuru’s daiginjo?
The 2014 dinner where President Obama dined with Prime Minister Abe at Sukiyabashi Jiro in Ginza.
What is the SMV of Tokusei Gold?
+1.5.
The bottles
Tokusei Gold大吟醸 特製ゴールド賀茂鶴
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“Launched 1958; the gold-flecked classic.”
Junmai Ginjo純米吟醸
醇酒 Junshu · Rich“Full-bodied, rich dry umami.”
Souhana Daiginjo双鶴 大吟醸
薫酒 Kunshu · Fragrant“G7 toast sake; fruity, elegant, clean.”
Reading the bars: an editorial flavor reading (0–5) of each bottle — Dry→Rich, Light→Full, Subtle→Aromatic, Low→High acidity — not laboratory values. The colored badge is the SSI four-type classification (薫酒 Kunshu · 爽酒 Soshu · 醇酒 Junshu · 熟酒 Jukushu). SMV and acidity appear only where the brewery publishes them.
Sources: kamotsuru.jp · sakenomy.jp