Sake and seafood – it’s a perfect pairing. Understand the nuances between the multitude of sakes, and how they can take certain dishes to the next delicious level.
A floral and elegant Junmai Daiginjo is best served chilled in a wine glass or the traditional sake cup ‘Ochoko.’ It pairs beautifully with the sweetness, tenderness and smoothness of lobster, seabream or even sea bass.
Junmai Daiginjo is polished to at least 50%, and has refined and harmonious flavours, with tasting notes like melon and green apple.
Enjoy the umami, brininess, and sweetness of either fresh caviar, ikura or Uni ideally served alongside the fruity and aromatic tasting notes of a Ginjo. Best served crisp in a traditional porcelain sake cup.
Ginjo is polished to at least 60%, and is given its crisp, aromatic style through added brewers’ alcohol. It is most famous for its ‘ginjo-ka’ aroma, and typical flavours include citrus and orchard fruits.
To appreciate the soft and fragrant notes of Junmai Ginjo to its fullest, serve it chilled in a wine glass or a glass Ochoko, alongside the richly flavoured smoked Otoro or a seared salmon.
Junmai Ginjo is polished to at least 60%, and tends to be full-bodied with a creamy texture. Typical notes include green apple, honeydew melon, orange, and apple blossom.
Treat your palate to the creaminess and tenderness of pan-fried clams or scallops paired with a Junmai. To appreciate the mellow and umami tasting notes of this sake, it's recommended to serve it chilled-to-warm in a bigger Earthenware sake cup (also called 'Guinomi').
Junmai typically has the texture and flavour of the rice present, and is full-bodied, creamy and rich. Its flavours include steamed rice, chestnut, melon rind, and mushroom.
The steely and crisp Honjozo can be enjoyed at a variety of temperatures, ranging from chilled to warm. It is best served in a porcelain sake cup, accompanied with the musky and buttery flavour of raw oysters and tuna to enjoy the subtlety of Honjozo's flavours at their fullest.
Honjozo is polished to atleast 70%, and the brewers' alcohol that is added gives a smooth, crisp texture and fragrant style. Flavours in a Honjozo include baked banana, mushroom, soy sauce and caramel.
Enhance the rich and complex notes of a Kimoto or Yamahai with the smokiness and zestiness of grilled mackerel or smoked sardines. This sake is best served ambient-to-warm in an Earthenware Guinomi.
Kimoto and Yamahai are well-balanced with smoothness, great delicacy, and profound depth. The flavour is mellow yet comforting, and is complimented by an underlying crispness.
A chilled glass of Nigori served in a porcelain Ochoko is the perfect companion alongside deep-fried cod or spiced prawn in tacos. The mild flavour and soft texture of these seafood dishes are the ideal pairing to reveal the creaminess and milkiness of Nigori Sake.
Nigori Sake is generally quite sweet, and characterised by its cloudy appearance - which comes from still containing some of the rice particles used during the brewing process.
What could be better than the delicacy of grilled eel or the mellowness of boiled crab accompanied by the deep and nutty flavours of a Koshu? This sake is best served at room temperature in a sherry glass.
As a sake, Koshu is normally aged - which means it tends to get darker, more savoury, and mellow, and has tasting notes that are fragrant and earthy.
On a lighter note, enjoy a refreshing Sparkling Sake alongside deep-fried squid, monkfish or haddock. The saltiness and firmness of this seafood is highly complemented by Sparkling's light bubbliness. To make it the perfect pairing, serve it chilled in a fluted glass.
Sparkling Sake has a uniquely sweet aroma and refreshingly fruity flavour, accompanied by a gentle fizz.
To taste the sweetness and tartness of an Umeshu, it has to be served on the rocks. Paired with the softness and subtlety of marinated octopus and mussels, the sweet and tart flavours mix perfectly for an exciting tasting experience.
Umeshu is made with Junmai sake, and has a rich undertone that is perfectly balanced by the tartness of the plums added.
