Hiro Sake®, the award-winning, handcrafted, premium sake from Japan, is proud to announce its market entry to Japan, the country where it is produced. Hiro is hand crafted Japanese sake using only the finest ingredients at the Taiyo Sake Brewery in the Niigata Prefecture. The prestigious Taiyo Brewery, considered one of the finest craft sake breweries in Japan, will be distributing Hiro Gold in select cities in Japan beginning in 2018.
Hiro Sake was developed in 2011 by Carlos Arana, Marco Destefanis and Claudia Valotta, co-founders of Hiro Sake. They launched Hiro in the U.S. with Hiro Blue, a junmai ginjo sake, and Hiro Red, a ginjo sake now available in more than 20 markets*. After winning top awards year on year as best in class sake, Hiro was launched in Mexico (2015) and in Canada (2016).
Based on the success of the portfolio and the growing demand for premium sakes, the founders decided to expand the range in 2016 with the introduction of HIRO GOLD, an ultra-premium sake known as Junmai Daiginjo sake. Hiro Gold is crafted from 100% Koshi-Tanrei sake rice which is grown exclusively in the Niigata Prefecture, the premier sake producing region in Japan and the area where all Hiro Sake is brewed.
Hiro Gold is produced in limited quantities only once a year by Hiro's Toji (Master Brewer) and his group of Kurabitos (team of Brewers) at the esteemed Taiyo Sake Brewery. This prestigious brewery is a ten-time gold medal winner at the National New Sake Awards, the largest and most acknowledged sake competition in Japan.
The Taiyo Sake Brewery is well-known in Japan for their exceptional sake production and takes pride in a centuries-long, unbroken line of sake making history and tradition in the city of Murakami in the Niigata Prefecture. Taiyo was formed through the merger of 14 different Murakami breweries, one brewery having been established in 1635.
"The Taiyo Brewery produces some of Japan's finest sakes and it is a testament to the high quality of Hiro Gold that one of the most important brewers in Japan – our brewer – wants to introduce it into their own home market," says Carlos Arana, co-founder and CEO of Hiro Sake. "As we celebrate our sixth anniversary, we continue to be excited about the growth of the sake category in the U.S. and we are thrilled to partner with our colleagues at the Taiyo Sake Brewery to bring Hiro Gold to the Japanese market. We couldn't have asked for better start to 2018."
Production of Hiro Gold will be increased to meet the demand for the Japanese market. Initially, Hiro Gold will be introduced in Tokyo and Niigata with more Japanese markets to follow in 2018.
Hiro Gold is available exclusively in Duty Free and in select key markets in the U.S. with a suggested retail price of $100.00 (15% alc./vol.; 720ml). Hiro Gold was the winner of a Double Gold Medal for Best Japanese Sake at the 2016 San Francisco International Wine Competition.
In U.S. news, Hiro Sake LLC has appointed two new distributors: Johnson Brothers in Nevada (a move from Southern Wine & Spirits) and Superior Beverage Group in Ohio.