Palate Project (Palate Selections)

What's in the box: An expert-curated selection of Japanese sake, delivered quarterly, often including direct imports from smaller breweries.

Palate Project calls itself the largest online Japanese sake store in the U.S. Its subscription, the Palate Discovery Project, is a quarterly sake box curated by the company's experts. The site says subscribers can save up to $44 and that shipping is free. It does not clearly say how many bottles come in each shipment or what a single box costs. The wider shop gives a good idea of the curation style. It mixes well-known labels like Dassai and Born with direct imports from smaller Japanese breweries, which the company says you can only buy from them. Bottles are grouped into styles such as Fruity and Elegant, Smooth and Dry, and Sweet and Juicy, each with short tasting notes, so newcomers can work out what they like. If you are not ready to commit, the Sake Flight has three mini bottles for $89 with free shipping. Limited nama sake releases are also shipped cold from Japan. The quarterly schedule suits people who want a steady introduction to sake without a monthly bill. The main drawback is how little the site says up front about box contents and pricing, so read the subscription details before signing up. Rules for shipping alcohol also vary by state.