Flavors And Fragrances
The Japan Service Industry Research Bureau specifies four flavor profiles for sake. These profiles are explained in the frame on the left. The table below shows how our sake fits into these flavor profiles, and provides serving and storage tips.
| Flavor Profiles | Highly Fragrant | ||||||||||||||||
| Light, Smooth | |||||||||||||||||
| Rich, Earthy | |||||||||||||||||
| Mature | |||||||||||||||||
| Serving Tips |
On the rocks | ||||||||||||||||
| Chilled | |||||||||||||||||
| Room temperature | |||||||||||||||||
| Warm | |||||||||||||||||
| Storage Tips | Always refrigerate. | ||||||||||||||||
| Store in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate after opening. |
Highly Fragrant
Brilliant and clear character with strong hints of fruits and flowers in the fragrance. Typical of daiginjo sake.
Light, Smooth
Fresh, light fragrance. Refreshing taste and very smooth in the mouth. Typical of ginjo and honjozo sake.
Rich, Earthy
Fragrance suggests fullness and maturity. Flavor is deep with a balance of sweetness, acidity, and a pleasant astringency. Typical of junmai sake.
Mature
Dark, rich fragrance suggestive of sherry. Sweetness offset by a lingering tartness characterizes the flavor. Typical of yamahai and aged sake.
Serving Tips
Fruity, fragrant varieties of sake, such as daiginjo, ginjo, and namazake, should be served chilled to about 10C (50F). Other types of sake can generally be enjoyed either chilled, at room temperature, or warmed.
Storage Tips
Light and high temperatures are sake's arch enemies. Keep pasteurized
sake in a cool, dark place until opening, and refrigerate thereafter.
Unpasteurized sake, recognizable by the
character on the label, must always be refrigerated. Otherwise, it will
become cloudy and take on an unpleasant sour taste.
