When looking around for a nice entry level sake I came across this namasake from Gekkeikan. What drew me in is the fact that it comes in a small enough bottle to try by myself and an affordable price tag to convince me to try without a large financial investment.
Namasake literally meaning Raw/Fresh Sake (Nama = Fresh/Raw) is an unpasteurised sake creating a bolder and deeper flavour profile. The namasake felt smooth and easy to drink without a strong alcoholic kickback. It tasted clean and creamy at the same time. With this particular sake, it was recommended either to to be served chilled or on the rocks.
Whilst you can serve direct from the bottle I like to transfer the sake into a sake flask (tokkuri) first and drink from the matching cup (o-choko) for that touch of authenticity.
A tip for when you are serving the sake chilled is to refrigerate the flask and namasake in the fridge separately and transfer the sake into the vessel just before serving so it remains cooler for longer. Be aware that due to the nature of namasake, once you open the bottle, consume asap within 2-3 days otherwise the alcohol will oxidise and the flavour will change and potentially spoil.
Sake available here
Ceramic flask and cup instore from Muji (Each item sold separately)