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In various regions all across Japan, breweries

perfect their own types of sake. A delicate yet

complex rice wine liquor, sake has steadily become

an international trend amongst connoisseurs

and general consumers alike.

Junmai Ginjo

When most Westerners hear the word “sake” a

tsunami-like cringe washes over their facial features

as they’re haunted by past experiences... Late night

sushi and teppanyaki, the warmed beverage downed

in shots and the mind-numbing, sour hangover. These are a few of the

common mis-conceptions held by many Westerners.

However, fortunately for the sake lovers of the world, this

is slowly changing and it’ ‘ s fair to say that sake is now trendy, fashionable and the

‘in-thing’.

Sake can be consumed in a variety of ways, and no doubt you’ve

experienced it both hot and cold. Gone are the

days of drinking hot sake out of small, ceramic

cups. The rise of luxury sake has revolutionized

the way in which we drink it, and has brought

sake to a whole new level. According to Sake

Sommeliers around the globe, luxury sake

is to be served and consumed slightly chilled.

Sake should only be served hot if it is low in quality, which is when a

high dosage of distilled alcohol has been added

after the fermentation process.

Daiginjo shu

For those of us who are not familiar with the elusive language of Japan, the question remains - “How can we tell if a sake is good quality and a ‘luxury sake’?” The fact that most of the sake that we have access to is produced for export means that there tends to be more low quality sake available at our fingertips. In an effort to make choosing sake a little easier for everyone, and to ensure that you know which are the best sakes on the market, (which ultimately is what we want to be serving), we’ve put together a small list of the best types of sake on the market.

Junmai Ginjo-shu

Junmai Dai Ginjo-shu (No added alcohol*)

A subclass of junmai ginjo-shu, brewed with very highly

polished rice (to at least 50% - meaning that 50% of the grain

has been removed, or polished off, leaving only 50% of the

grain)and even more precise and labor intensive methods. The pinnacle of the brewers’

art. Generally light, complex and fragrant.

Daiginjo-shu (Some added alcohol*)

A subclass of ginjo-shu below, brewed with very highly

polished rice (to at least 50%) and even more precise and

labor intensive methods.

Junmai Ginjo-shu (No added alcohol*)

Brewed with labor-intensive steps, eschewing machinery

for traditional tools and methods, using highly

polished rice (at least 60%) and fermented at colder

temperatures for longer periods of time. Light, fruity,

refined.

Ginjo-shu (some added alcohol*)

Brewed with labor-intensive steps, eschewing machinery

for traditional tools and methods, using highly

polished rice (at least 60%**) and fermented at colder

temperatures for longer periods of time. Light, aromatic,

fruity, and refined.

The Top Six Styles Of

Sake

Junmai-shu (no added alcohol*)

Made with only rice, water and koji mold. The rice used must be polished to at least 70%. Often a full and solid flavor profile, clean

and well structured.

Note also Tokubetsu Junmai-shu, or “Special Junmai-shu,” which

merely indicates more highly polished rice, or the use of very

special sake rice.

Honjozo-shu (some added alcohol*)

Made with rice, water, koji and a very small amount of pure

distilled alcohol (“brewers’ alcohol”) to help extract flavor and aroma.

Light, mildly fragrant, easy to drink.

Note also Tokubetsu Honjozo-shu or “Special Honjozo-shu,” which

merely indicates more highly polished rice, or the use of very

special sake rice.

Sake in the six classifications above is known collectively as

“tokutei meishoshu,” or “special designation sake,” and are

considered to be “premium sake.” It constitutes only about 20% of

all sake produced. The first four sakes listed, collectively known as

“ginjo-shu”, can be considered as “super-premium sake” or “luxury

sake”. Ginjo-shu and its subclasses constitute only the top 6% of all

sake produced, and represents the pinnacle of the brewers’

craft.

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Nowadays there are a variety of sake service styles that are gracing the hospitality scene. Many Sake Sommeliers recommend serving it in a small, white wine glass, just like white wine. However, when doing so, make sure the glass isn’t overfilled when pouring! When serving sake this way, it is recommended that no more than 1/3 of the glass is filled. There are also quite a few impressive, modern sake carafes on the market which are made with the ice compartment inside the glass bottle. This feature is obviously fantastic for keeping the sake chilled, as well as offering a dining experience with a slight twist.

Sake Service

Let’s face it, a Stew who knows

the product offers a better kind of service, which is all the

more reason for taste testing it

yourselves! When tasting luxury

sake one should do so properly - it is a ‘luxury’

product, after-all! When tasting, it

is recommended to use traditional

wine tasting techniques, which

we’re no doubt all familiar with.

-Swirl the glass and appreciate

the complex aromatics.

-Next, sip the sake and allow it to coat your

mouth before you swallow. As with

wine, you must take time with

sake in order to grasp all that it

has to offer.Due to its delicate nature,

sake ought to be stored in a

dark, cool space with a constant

temperature. Once opened,

sake should be consumed

relatively quickly and the remaining

contents of the bottle kept

refrigerated.

This season why not impress

your guests with your up-to-date

knowledge on sake service and

dazzle them with the latest craze?!

Go even further and impress

them with your Japanese skills

and “cheers” them before drinking -

“Kanpai”

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