October 1st is World Sake Day. This event is celebrated annually as a national event in Japan and now worldwide as a tribute to this classic Japanese beverage.
The word “sake” in Japanese literally means “alcohol” and the official name for what we call “sake” is “nihonshu” (“nihon” means Japan and “shu“is another word for alcohol). Traditionally sake production in Japan begins in October so now is a great time to learn a little about sake!
If you think sake only pairs well with Japanese food, you are missing out on a lot of fun! Savoury is the core taste of sake making it a versatile match with cuisines of any culture. Sake can be served chilled or hot, have different sweetness levels from very dry to sweet, and various degrees of freshness from fresh to aged. This makes it an excellent choice to drink as an aperitif, digestif or during a meal. Knowing how sake is categorized helps to find that perfect match.
All sake can be classified into 2 groups and 8 categories. Whether distilled spirits are used during sake fermentation [to extract extra flavour components from rice at the expense of having a lighter body] or not, will in general separate sake into 2 groups: junmai-shu group (“junmai” means pure rice) or the honjozo-shu group.
Within these 2 groups, sake is further classified according to the rice-polishing rate which means the percentage of rice remaining after polishing.
These are the following categories based on the ratio of rice polished (note: the number in brackets shows the minimum rice-polishing rate):
Under the junmai-shu group:
junmai-shu (no minimum polishing rate),
tokubetsu junmai-shu (60%),
junmai ginjo-shu (60%)
junmai daiginjo-shu (50%)
Under the honjozo-shu group:
honjozo-shu (70%)
tokubetsu honjozo-shu (60%)
ginjo-shu (60%)
daiginjo-shu (50%)
Tokubetsu (special) and ginjo in both groups will have the same polishing rate. Ginjo focuses on fruit aromas whereas tokubetsu will show more umami flavour.
A sake that doesn’t fall into these 8 categories is labelled as futsu-shu (ordinary sake).
In general, sake with the rice lightly polished will show more umami/savoury flavours and sake with the rice deeply polished will show fruit-like aromas (called ginjo-aroma) and flavours such as green apple, pineapple, melon or banana.
To make it easier for the consumer to have a general idea of how a sake will taste, the Sake Service Institute (SSI) has developed another classification system that categorizes sake according to their aroma/flavour characteristics.
The four styles being: aromatic sake - refreshing sake - rich sake - aged sake.
Aromatic sake has a splendid fruity floral aroma with a sweet and smooth mouthfeel. These highly-prized aromas would be muted or lost if the sake is served too cold or too warm. 10-15°C is the best temperature range to enjoy your aromatic sake. Fantastic as an aperitif or pair it with seafood and light dishes with citrus flavour, fruit or herbs. Ginjo, daiginjo, junmai ginjo and junmai daiginjo are examples of an aromatc sake. This is the sake if you are a fan of aromatic whites like Riesling or Gewürztraminer.
Refreshing sake has a light and delicate body with a dry, clean taste. It can be served chilled or warm. Honjozo-shu, futsu-shu, and most sake from Niigata are great examples. Refreshing sake is the most versatile for food pairing among the four types. It doesn‘t overpower delicate foods like sashimi, cold tofu and soba. It has a palate cleansing effect which helps wash off oiliness and saltiness from high fat or highly seasoned dishes. Try it with fried chicken or salted-grilled beef tongue. It works like a pilsner.
Rich sake has a full body to stand with heavy dishes like steak. It has a robust yet mild fragrant note derived from rice and a round mouthfeel with complexity. It can be served at room temperature or warmed up to 45°C . Junmai-shu and tokubetsu junmai-shu are examples of rich sake. Also look for wording such as “kimoto” or “yamahai” which indicates sake made with lactic acids produced by natural microorganisms in the environment rather than artificially added. These sake have a creamy texture and yogurt-like flavour which matches well with foods of a creamy or cheesy character. Try them with cheese fondue , also cheeses with a strong character like Camembert and le Roquefort are excellent with sake of kimoto or yamahai style.
Aged sake has been aged for at least 3 years. It has profound aroma and taste with a viscous texture. Depending on the temperature it is aged, the aroma and flavour can range from nuts and mushroom to molasses and sherry-like. It is excellent with French dishes like foie gras and truffle or Asian cuisine like roast duck and grilled eel. Drinking it as a digestif with aged cheese is another great experience.
JAK‘s has a wide and unique selections of sake, so whichever your choice of cuisine is for the evening, you can always find a sake here to enjoy World Sake Day with. Kampai!
Kuheiji Junmai Daiginjo $68.99:
Kuheiji also produces wine in Burgundy. The concept of “terrior” is brought into their sake which can be found on the menu of Michelin 3-stars restaurants in France. It has a wine-like character and is best served in wine glasses.
Imayo for Oysters $39.99:
You would put down your glass of Chablis or Champagne after trying this junmai-shu with oysters. It brings out the sweetness from oysters and suppresses the fishiness. This is the best food and wine/sake pairing experience I‘ve ever have.
About the Author
Thomas Chung manages our Richmond location. He has his WSET Level 3 in Wines and International Kikisake-shi (Sake Sommelier) Certification issued by SSI. In his spare time, he spends time with family, has a true passion for researching beverages and runs marathons.