Ile Four is a company founded by three friends who enjoyed drinking sake. The brand name refers to the four main Japanese islands. Their goal is to bring customers a product that is understandable even to people who cannot read Japanese characters. Therefore, you will only find symbols on the bottles, which in translation mean “modern sake”. For more detailed information about the philosophy of their brand, we recommend visiting the Ile Four website. If you click on the bottle in the detail, you will be redirected to the relevant product in our e-shop.
Ile Four Junmai
This Junmai is the entry point for the Ile Four sake line. It is sake with a medium body, pleasant acidity and you can feel sherry in the taste.
We recommend pairing it with starters such as Jamon Iberico, shrimp or Camembert cheeses.
We recommend serving Ile Four Junmai chilled or you can mix refreshing cocktails from it.
Ile Four Junmai Ginjo
Ile Four Junmai Ginjo is a light dry sake with a refined aroma. Yamada Nishiki and Akebono rice are milled to 55% to reveal the kernel, giving the sake its purity of taste.
The aroma is of raisins with traces of watermelon. It tastes drier and has the same tones as the aroma. Sake is more acidic, which adds to its drinkability. At the first sip, it seems that the fruit is softer and begins to show more strongly at the end, both in aroma and taste.
This Junmai Ginjo goes well with lighter meat dishes, pasta dishes and of course fish and seafood. We recommend serving chilled.
Ile Four Junmai Daiginjo
Junmai Daiginjo represents the pinnacle of the brewer’s craftsmanship in making sake. Only Yamada Nishiki rice is used for production, it is milled by 50% and the fermentation takes place at lower temperatures than usual. Everything to create this luxurious sake.
It is very aromatic. At first appears watermelon and grape, followed by tones of apples and berries. Finally, traces of citrus can be found. The taste is fruity and fresh with a clean finish.
Ile Four Junmai Daiginjo is best enjoyed chilled as an aperitif. This light, delicate, aromatic and complex sake combines well with delicate dishes such as fish and seafood dishes, foie gras or jamon iberico.
Ile Four Yuzu
The jury awarded this fruit sake a gold medal at the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) in London in July 2019. It was mainly the harmony of fruit and citrus flavors and aromas, created by mixing citrus juice from yuzu and premium sake junmai, which convinced the jury.
Citrus yuzu has been growing in Japan for over 1,000 years. Thanks to its dry pulp and many seeds, the process of obtaining juice is a very expensive process. Fortunately, a very small amount is enough to give this fruity sake a taste.
It is best to enjoy Ile Four Yuzu on ice or in a cocktail. Or add a little sparkling wine 😉
Ile Four Momo
According to Japanese legend, white peach Momo has the power to protect against the forces of evil. For example, the legend of Momotaró – a boy who was sent from heaven hidden in a peach and who later liberated the demon-occupied island.
Although it can’t be proven that peach Ile Four Momo would give you the strength to fight demons and monsters, we are pretty sure that the combination of white peaches and premium sake junmai is damn good 🙂
Ile Four Momo can be enjoyed on ice or in a cocktail.
Ile Four Ume
For many centuries, plum trees have been a symbol of the coming spring for the Japanese, as they have been blooming since the end of January. And just as the feast of blooming sakura is held, so are the celebrations of plum blossoms.
In Japan, they don’t eat them directly because they are sour. Therefore, they are most often pickled. When you add them together with a few other ingredients to the shochu, you will create a traditional umeshu.
In contrast, Ile Four Ume combines the taste of these plums with premium sake junmai. Together they form a great combination and you can enjoy it chilled or in a cocktail.