Beverage
Junmai
S tier
Junmai is sake made only from rice, water, koji, and yeast—no added distilled alcohol. The rice may be polished to different degrees (junmai, junmai ginjo, junmai daiginjo), but this leaf is the rice-only idea: fuller, more umami, often better warmed or used in a pot than a delicate ginjo. A good junmai tastes of rice and koji, not of solvent or just fruit. This is the drinking sake to cook with. It seasons nimono and marinades without the salt of cooking sake and without the perfume you would waste by boiling a daiginjo. If a recipe says sake and the dish is simmered, buy junmai.
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History
Rice-only brews were the historical default before alcohol-addition grades were formalised.
Junmai was defined in modern labelling so drinkers could choose rice-only sake again.
Junmai became the restaurant cooking and table default outside premium ginjo lists.
Fuller junmai styles were championed against the idea that lighter always meant better.