Bōken Sake just announced a partnership with Massanois, a New York City-based national importer and distributor of fine wine and craft spirits. Massanois will distribute Bōken in all eight of its markets, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, California, Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
In addition, Bōken will also expand to Kansas and Missouri with Vintegrity Wine & Spirits, Georgia with Savannah Distributing and Tennessee with TriStar Beverage of Chattanooga, according to the brand.
Bōken’s portfolio of sakes crafted by next generation brewers in Japan include Bōken Ringo, Bōken no. 77, Bōken Nigori and Bōken Nana (all Junmai Ginjō – rice and water milled to 60%). Founder Daisuke Nakajima founded Bōken after extensive visits to breweries throughout Japan, according to the brand. Bōken Sake ($51-$58/720mL) is available at on and off-premise accounts.
“We launched Bōken to broaden the appeal of sake beyond traditional Japanese cuisine,” said Daisuke in a news release. “We are truly excited to collaborate with our distributors to further our mission of introducing sake to a wider and more diverse audience. Massanois and Vintegrity, in particular, are highly respected for their outstanding portfolios of fine wines, and we are thrilled to work with such like-minded partners who share our passion for quality and authenticity.”
Bōken no. 77, Bōken Nigori and Bōken Nana are all brewed at Hiraizumi Honpo by Masaaki Saito, according to the brand. Founded in 1487, Hiraizumi Honpo is Japan’s third oldest brewery, located in Akita Prefecture. Bōken Ringo, on the other hand, is brewed by Takagi Shuzo in Kochi Prefecture, founded in 1884.
