Kubota Manjyu (Junmai Daiginjo)

Nice mild cakey aroma with hint of rainwater. Moderately soft, slightly dry with a bit of sweetness. Exceptionally well balanced in the mouth. Sweet, mild coconut flavor. Tightly focused. Finishes slightly sweet with a tiny peppery bite on the back end.

Hakushika Junmai Ginjo

Relatively straightforward sake from Nishinomaya. Slight cake/rice on the nose. Sweet, relatively full body, moderate umami. Characteristically soft style of southern Japan. Overly sweet finish. Too sweet for seafood, pair with grilled white meat or yakitori. Hakushika website describes this sake as well balanced, I might take issue with that. Acceptable, but generally forgettable overall.

Setsugetsubijin Junmai Ginjo

Vanilla frosting on the nose. Medium body, light sweetness initially with pear or green apple overtones, as expected from a sake from southern Japan (Kyushu in fact!). Fairly high umami. Relatively tight focus until funky and sweet (but pleasant) finish, very smooth drinking. Ideal for fatty or strongly flavored sushi, or grilled chicken. From Hita, in Oita prefecture, a bit unusual.