Kyubetsu (sake grade classification system)

Kyubetsu (the grade classification system) refers to the tax-rate categories that Japan's liquor tax law once applied to alcoholic beverages such as sake and whisky. Under this system, products were classified as Special Grade (tokkyu), First Grade (ikkyu), or Second Grade (nikyu) according to quality and production method. Special Grade was regarded as an indicator of high-quality sake and Second Grade of comparatively lower-quality sake. The Liquor Tax Law was revised on April 1, 1989 (Heisei 1), and the grade system was abolished. This revision allowed the quality evaluation and market distribution of Japanese sake to be handled more flexibly.