Shirakiku Brewery Wins Highest Gold Award at 'Delicious Sake in a Wine Glass Award 2026' with Table-Rice Brewed 'shirakiku MIRROR MIRROR'

Shirakiku Brewery (Location: Kyotango City, Kyoto; Representative & Toji: Satoru Shirasugi) is pleased to announce that 'shirakiku MIRROR MIRROR' has received the [Highest Gold Award] in the Premium Junmai category at the 'Delicious Sake in a Wine Glass Award 2026'.

With this achievement, the brewery has now won the Highest Gold Award three times, following victories with the same label in 2023 and 'Junmai Daiginjo Kinshari' in 2024.

This competition aims to expand the reach of sake beyond boundaries of "generation," "business format," and "country." Entries are evaluated through blind tasting by sake experts active both domestically and internationally. In its 16th year, the competition received 1,148 entries from 260 breweries nationwide, with the top 5% (58 entries) selected for the Highest Gold Award. In the Premium Junmai category where 'shirakiku MIRROR MIRROR' was entered, 5 out of 97 entries were awarded the Highest Gold Award.

Furthermore, the brewery's other concurrent entries—'shirakiku 鵺 NUE', 'shirakiku vibrant Junmai Muroka Genshu', and 'shirakiku brilliant Junmai Ginjo Muroka Genshu'—all received [Gold Awards] in their respective categories.

As a brewery that crafts all its labels using locally grown Tango table rice (varieties not traditionally meant for sake brewing), we attribute this success entirely to the reliable quality of the raw rice born from the tireless efforts of our local farmers.

[About the Award-Winning Sake]

Highest Gold Award (Premium Junmai Category) 'shirakiku MIRROR MIRROR' Suggested Retail Price: 720ml / 2,100 JPY (excluding tax) (As of May 17, 2026) Brewed using Tango-grown 'Yume Gokochi' rice. Utilizing a yeast that produces high amounts of malic acid, it offers a fruity flavor profile reminiscent of sweet and sour apples. The name derives from the association of 'Yume Gokochi' (dreamy state), 'apples', and 'sweet-sour flavor'. The dreamy, "unreal world" feeling combined with "apples" evoked the fairy tale Snow White. The rich, captivating sweet-sourness inspired the image of the bewitching "witch" in the story, leading to the name 'MIRROR MIRROR' based on her famous line, "Mirror, mirror on the wall."

Gold Award (Premium Junmai Category) 'shirakiku 鵺 NUE' Suggested Retail Price: 720ml / 1,900 JPY (excluding tax) (As of May 17, 2026) Brewed using Tango-grown 'Koshihikari' rice. It blends four types of yeast and four types of koji mold, resulting in a complex flavor hidden within a mellow sweet-sour profile. Because it uses four Kyoto-developed yeasts alongside four koji molds, it is motifed after the 'Nue', a mythical Japanese yokai chimera composed of four different animals.

Gold Award (Main Category 2000) 'shirakiku vibrant Junmai Muroka Genshu' Suggested Retail Price: 720ml / 1,800 JPY (excluding tax) (As of May 17, 2026) Brewed using Tango-grown 'Koshihikari' rice. Unconventionally for sake, it uses 'Black Koji' for the yeast starter. The refreshing acidity from the koji-derived citric acid creates a clean, crisp flavor. Named 'vibrant' for its fresh flavor, the label features a green motif inspired by its white grape-like aroma.

Gold Award (Main Category 2000) 'shirakiku brilliant Junmai Ginjo Muroka Genshu' Suggested Retail Price: 720ml / 2,000 JPY (excluding tax) (As of May 17, 2026) Brewed using Tango-grown 'Koshihikari' rice. Similar to the 'vibrant', it possesses a refreshing acidity from 'Black Koji', paired with a gorgeous aroma derived from the yeast. It has a slightly sweet, fruity flavor. Named 'brilliant' for its elegant taste, the label uses a pink motif inspired by its strawberry-like scent.

[About Shirakiku Brewery] Founded in 1777 (An'ei 6). Shortly after current representative Satoru Shirasugi took over the brewery, the business faced a management crisis. As a breakthrough strategy, he began brewing sake using Tango-grown Koshihikari rice, which he deeply admired. Since 2015, all labels have been produced exclusively with local Tango table rice. We are a small sake brewery operated by just four people. To maintain consistency between the sake's flavor and appearance, the representative/toji personally designs the labels, and each unique label has its own fanbase. While table rice is generally considered less suitable for sake than dedicated sake rice, our continuous trial and error has increasingly earned us recognition in various contests in recent years.