Sake sparkles at IWC 2019
For the sake of Sake drinkers around the world, the International Wine Challenge has named its Sake
Trophy winners – ‘the best of the best’ in the key styles.
After three days of blind-tasting in London, 59 international judges from 14 countries awarded 95
Gold, 191 Silver, and 327 Bronze medals.
The Gold medal winners were then pitted against each other to determine the top Sakes in ninedifferent categories.
The 2019 IWC Sake Trophy winners are:


Futsu-shu Trophy – Kiku-Masamune Shiboritate Gin-Pack from Kiku-Masamune SakeBrewing
Honjozo Trophy – Katafune Tokubetsu Honjozo from Takeda Shuzo
Ginjo Trophy – Hatsumago Fuyu no Kanon Ginjoshu from Tohoku MeijoDaiginjo Trophy – Bunraku Daiginjo Fukuroduri Murokagenshu Nakagumi from Kitanishi Sake
Brewery
Junmai Trophy – Miyanoyuki Yamahaijikomi Tokubetsu Junmaishu from Miyazaki Honten
Junmai Ginjo Trophy – Katsuyama Junmai Ginjo Ken from Katsuyama Supreme Sake
Junmai Daiginjo Trophy – Hideyoshi Junmai Daiginjo from Suzuki Brewing
Sparkling Sake Trophy – Kid Junmai Daiginjo Sparkling from Heiwashuzou
Koshu Trophy – Tokubetsuhonjozo Kamaya Koshu from Kamaya

The Gold winners selection includes an impressive mix of new winners and regular Trophy winners.
The first-time IWC Sake Trophy winners are Kiku-Masamune, Kitanishi, Katsuyama, Suzuki andKamaya, while Takeda Shuzo, Tohoku Meijo, Miyazaki Honten, and Heiwashuzou have won
previously.
Tohoku Meijo, which started brewing sake in 1893, is the reigning IWC Sake Brewer of the Year.
IWC Sake Co-Chair Kenichi Ohashi MW commented: “The breadth of the style of top medal-winning
Japanese Sake has surely expanded. This is due to the diversification of flavours on the producer
side, the improvement of the tasting ability of the individual judges in response, and the attitude of
IWC in educating consumers.”
The competition, which is run in sponsored by the Sake Samurai Association, was started in 2007 andthis year it returned to London after the 2018 competition in Yamagata, Japan in 2018.
The IWC Sake competition started in 2007 and has grown exponentially with Sakes entered globally– from regions as diverse as USA and UK.
IWC will name the Champion Sake 2019 (the best of all the Trophy winners), Sake Brewer of theYear, and the Great Value Sake Award winner at the International Wine Challenge Awards Dinner inLondon on July 9.
Chris Ashton, Events Director at the International Wine Challenge Sake, commented:

“Our rigorous approach and international judging panel make this a truly unique competition that isrecognised the world over. With these Trophies under their belts, these brewers can expect globalattention.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:
For interviews or photography, please contact beth.terry@thisisphispps.com
The International Wine Challenge
In its 36th year, the International Wine Challenge is accepted as the world’s finest and most meticulously judged
competition. The IWC assesses every wine ‘blind’ and judges each for its faithfulness to style, region and vintage.
Each medal-winning wine is tasted on at least three separate occasions by a minimum of 12 different judges
including Masters of Wine. Awards include medals (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and Commended awards. The IWC iscommitted to helping consumers discover great wine, and the medals displayed on winning bottles offer a trusted
guarantee of quality.
For more information on the IWC and full results, please contact the IWC team at Phipps
iwc@thisisphipps.com : +44 (0) 20 7759 7400 : 17 Exeter Street, London, WC2E 7DU, UK