Until recently, the image of RTD sake, or “cup sake” as it is called in Japan, was stuck in the past – more precisely in 1964. Back then, the OG of the genre, Ozeki One Cupappeared on the sake scene at the same time as the Tokyo Olympics and the Shinkansen bullet train – all signs that Japan was shaking off post-war shame and poverty and innovating its way onto the world stage.

The groundbreaking sake that brought elegant, modern glass design and portability to a simple drink celebrated its 60th anniversary this year. While in Japan it still reigns among convenience store sakesit is old hat for younger Japanese drinkers. For a new generation of sake consumers, today’s growing wave of RTD sake options (both Japanese and domestic) manage to highlight the essence of what makes sake popular internationally: taste, fermentation, captivating design and cultural value. These RTDs are also, and crucially, part of the “Premiumization“More beautiful sakes are being offered in single-cup formats, and sake enthusiasts appreciate that they can now get cans from the smaller brands,” says Yoko Kumano, co-founder of Umami Mart in Oakland, California, one of the country’s largest sake retailers.

Cup sakes today come in metal cans and glass cups with peel-off aluminum or plastic lids, and range from a crazy, category-busting sake-wine hybrid from Parisian producer Wakaze to bold and fresh, unpasteurized everyday namas and futsus to premium junmai ginjos, where the rice has been polished and the outer layers of the grains removed by at least 40 percent, resulting in lighter, fresher flavors. There are American-brewed or bottled brands that partner with established (sometimes unnamed) Japanese breweries, including Wakaze, Sake High! and WeSake, as well as a whole host of newer premium cup sakes from top Japanese breweries like floral yeast specialist Amabuki. Whether domestic or foreign, the focus is on demystifying sake for an international audience and highlighting sake’s versatility in pairings. The design of the label is also key. You’ll find homages to pop culture (Chiyomusubi’s manga reference Oyaji), kawaii (Japanese for “cute”) motifs, and iconic labels like the shiny gold and red of Kikusui Funaguchi Gold, which is as instantly recognizable to Japanese as a bottle of Budweiser is to Americans.

The availability of RTD sake varies greatly by region, making it difficult to create a universal “best of” list, so here’s a snapshot of some of the best sake currently available, and a testament to how diverse this young category has become.