About Sake & Malt

We write about Japanese sake and whisky in English, using Japanese sources.

Why this site exists

If you search in English for how to choose a sake, or whether a bottle of Japanese whisky is actually made in Japan, you get a lot of articles that repeat each other. Many of them are years old. Several still recommend subscriptions that no longer exist and shops that have since been renamed.

The underlying information is not hard to find — it is just in Japanese. Sake grades are defined by Japanese liquor tax law. Whether a whisky contains imported bulk spirit is answerable from the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association labelling standard and the distillery’s own Japanese-language material. We read those and write down what they say.

How we work

• Japanese primary sources first. Brewery and distillery sites, industry association standards, and National Tax Agency definitions — not other English blogs.
• Everything is dated. Each guide carries a “last verified” date. If we have not rechecked it, we do not move the date.
• Shipping reality is part of the answer. A recommendation you cannot legally receive is not a recommendation. We separate retailers by region and say who ships where.
• Corrections are published, not quietly edited. If we get something wrong and it mattered, the page says what changed.

How we are funded

Through affiliate commissions from retailers, disclosed in full on our affiliate disclosure page. We take no payment for reviews or rankings.

Contact

Corrections, questions and requests for guides we should write: ksfw14bu@gmail.com.

Drink responsibly

This site is intended for readers of legal drinking age in their country of residence. Nothing here is medical advice.