Silkroad Wine & Spirits

The inspiration

It is a division of Pacific International Liquor, established in March 2008, with a focus on sake and other Japanese alcohol beverages .

Who's behind it

Jun Tanaka, the founder of Pacific International Liquor, is a Japanese sake importer who set out in the 1990s to find a sake that would match American palates¹ . After encountering Kurosawa Brewery in Nagano, he worked directly inside the brewery for two years to help create a kimoto-style sake for the US market without compromising its character^1,2 .

What to order

• Kurosawa Nigori: a light, fruity sake with a creamy umami flavor and all-natural sweetness at a lower alcohol level .
• Lucky Cup: a lighter, easy-drinking cup sake made for first-time and casual drinkers who have only known hot sake .
• Kawaba unfiltered pale ale: a 100% malt Japanese Pale Ale brewed with spring water from Kawaba Village in Gunma, refreshing and crisp with soft bitterness .

Why you should try it

The team behind Silkroad develops its bottles with American drinkers in mind, from the Kurosawa line born inside a Nagano brewery to Lucky Cup's approachable style^1,3 .