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Why a ¥198,000 Sake Collaborated with Gucci — and the Distinctive Character of SAKE HUNDRED MIKKA
SAKE HUNDRED MIKKA was featured in Forbes JAPAN’s “A Scene with Fine Sake” series. Written by Miyako Akiyama and published online on August 11, 2026, the article originally appeared in the magazine’s August issue, released on June 25.
Beyond Comparison with Champagne
Sparkling sake has often been understood through comparisons with Champagne: the quality of its bubbles, acidity, aromatic complexity and length of finish. The Forbes JAPAN article presents MIKKA as an expression that moves beyond that familiar comparison and creates its own frame of reference.
The article describes fine bubbles and a layered sensory profile that begins with impressions of honey and ripe fruit, followed by rice-derived umami, fermentation-driven complexity, delicate acidity and a subtle bitterness. Together, these elements are presented as giving MIKKA a character distinct from conventional expectations of sparkling sake.
A Collaboration Between SAKE HUNDRED and Gucci Giardino
MIKKA was created through a collaboration between SAKE HUNDRED, a pioneer in the luxury sake category, and Gucci Giardino, the bar and lounge operated by Gucci. Forbes JAPAN frames the project as more than a collaboration between sake and a luxury brand. It also represents the process through which a local Japanese tradition can be expressed in a cultural language shared internationally.
The partnership reflects an affinity between Gucci’s combination of traditional craftsmanship and innovative creation and SAKE HUNDRED’s approach to presenting sake through contemporary ideas of quality, aesthetics and experience.
A Culinary Perspective from Gucci Osteria Tokyo
Raffaella De Vita, Head Chef of Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Tokyo in Ginza, describes MIKKA as very different from her previous image of sake. In the article, she notes its ability to work with ingredients and dishes shaped by olive oil, fermentation and maturation, while allowing their individual character to become more expressive.
Sake Presented as an Experience
With a suggested retail price of ¥198,000, MIKKA is positioned outside the framework of everyday sake. The article describes it as an experience that includes the philosophy and aesthetic sensibility behind the product, comparable to the way people engage with art or high jewellery.
Product Information
- Product: SAKE HUNDRED MIKKA
- Volume: 720 ml
- Rice: Yamada Nishiki, Yuki Hotaka and other Japanese-grown rice
- Suggested retail price in Japan: ¥198,000
