Sake (pronounced "sah-kay") is brewed from rice, but it is not a beer, wine, or spirit – it is truly unique. First, the rice grain is polished to remove impurities that reside in the outer layers. Then this highly polished rice is washed and steamed with the purest soft water. Next, koji is added along with yeast to begin fermentation. The koji is an enzyme that converts the rice starch into sugar, which can then be converted into alcohol by the yeast. After a few weeks the mixture is pressed, and the resulting sake is typically filtered, pasteurized, and bottled.

Over the course of its history that dates back two millennia, one simple fact was determined: purity is the foundation of the best sake. As there are only a few elements used to brew sake, their quality is of the utmost importance.