Hattannishiki actually has two varieties! No. 1 is designed to be grown at lower altitudes, and No. 2 thrives best up in the mountains. Other than that they’re very similar. Both were registered in 1984, both are very commonly used in Hiroshima sake breweries, and both produce fantastic sake. Hattanishiki is well known for its ginjo-favorable qualities and tends to produce lovely aromas when used in brewing. It’s so ubiquitous in Hiroshima that many people tend to correlate Hattannishiki with Hiroshima sake.
