Sake Tasting for Wine Lovers with Dutch Wine Apprentice.

Do you enjoy Japanese sake in addition to wine?

Lately, we’ve noticed more and more wine lovers having an interest to the world of sake—whether it’s over a sushi dinner or when discovering that certain ingredients, like briny caviar or umami-rich oysters, pair even better with sake than with wine. For others, it’s simply about broadening their palate and diving into a wider world of fermentation, tradition, and flavor.

The surge in global interest is no coincidence. In 2024, Japanese sake was added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, a designation that both celebrates its centuries-old craftsmanship and elevates its global reputation. Over the past decade, sake exports have grown steadily, now reaching more than 80 countries worldwide. Its rising popularity signals a shift—sake is no longer just Japan’s national drink, but a global beverage embraced by chefs, sommeliers, and curious drinkers alike.

However, for many, sake still feels unfamiliar—often thought of as a slightly sweet, high-alcohol, clear liquor served in tiny cups, with little recognizable variation. If that’s your impression, this article is for you.

As interest in sake continues to grow within the wine community, there’s a clear need for deeper, hands-on exploration. To meet that need, we hosted a sake tasting for the Dutch Wine Apprentice writing team—featuring sommeliers, educators, and importers of wine—spotlighting five distinct styles: sparkling, nigori (cloudy), genshu (undiluted), koshu (aged), kijōshu (sweet) —each offering a uniquely different expression of sake. Each sake was chosen to showcase the incredible range of aroma, texture, and production techniques that set each style apart.

In this article, we introduce each of these styles and share candid impressions from our team. From unexpected favorites to flavors that challenged our assumptions, this tasting offered a fresh perspective on how wine and sake, while worlds apart, often speak the same language—just with a different accent.

This article is the second in a three-part series on Japanese sake, created in collaboration with Otemba Sake, a Netherlands-based importer specializing in artisanal sake. (If you missed the first instalment, you can read it here.)

Tasting Setup: Professional Structure Meets Personal Discovery

As many members of the Dutch Wine Apprentice team hold WSET qualifications, we naturally approached this sake tasting with a WSET-style mindset—assessing appearance, aroma, palate, and drawing structured conclusions.

Yet beyond this clear and methodical framework, what proved even more engaging were the personal reactions: how each sake resonated on an individual level. We encouraged open feedback—what surprised us? What did we love, or not? Which styles sparked curiosity? These reflections often went beyond the tasting grid, and that’s exactly what made the experience so vibrant and rewarding.

In the following section, we introduce the lineup and share our team’s impressions—both analytical and emotional—starting with two very different expressions of sparkling sake.

1. Sparkling Sake – Seafood Sparkling (Imada Shuzo, Hiroshima Prefecture)

Sparkling sake is a relatively new style from the late 1990s that offers a completely different experience from traditional still sake. It’s often considered a great entry point for wine lovers. The bubbles are created either through forced carbonation or in-bottle secondary fermentation, like in Champagne. Disgorged versions are clear and elegant, while cloudy, nigori-style versions that skip disgorgement offer a livelier, slightly rustic, more dessert-like profile.

The Seafood Sparkling we tasted was a lightly cloudy sake made by in-bottle fermentation. It had delicate rice and fruit aromas, with hints of herbs and white flowers. The refreshing mousse softened its full-bodied texture, and a touch of residual sugar added roundness and approachability.

Among the DWA wine professionals, this was the most popular sake. A touch of residual sugar is familiar to sparkling wine lovers. Its gentle bubbles and clean, lightly sweet style made it a standout—an easy and refreshing apéritif, even for wine lovers.

2. Sparkling Nigori Sake – Tsukino Katsura Junmai Nigori Sparkling (Masuda Tokubee Shoten, Kyoto Prefecture)

This is a more traditional style of sparkling sake, yet pushing the category even further into sensory territory unfamiliar to many wine drinkers. It’s visibly cloudier than the previous sake due to suspended rice particles. That turbidity creates a creamy, rich mouthfeel, sometimes slightly gritty, and gives the sake more weight and length on the palate.

Produced by Tsukino Katsura, a historic Kyoto brewery founded in 1675, this sake showcases the house’s expertise in aged and cloudy styles. It’s crafted with in-bottle secondary fermentation, resulting in natural carbonation and a slightly off-dry finish. The nose offers a layered mix of green apple, strawberry, steamed rice, yogurt, and almond. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, rich, and creamy, balanced by bright acidity and soft mousse.

Reactions from the team were diverse, reflecting the sake’s unique personality. Some found it fun and indulgent—perfect for adventurous pairings or as a dessert alternative. Others found the sweetness and bitter texture at the end more challenging. 

A lively discussion followed around its gastronomic potential. Its creamy texture and gentle sweetness could pair naturally with lightly fried dishes like tempura or raw fish (sashimi), as well as fruit-based desserts and soft cheeses. Its boldness was also seen as a good match for sweet-and-savory Asian flavors. Overall, this sake sparked one of the most thought-provoking conversations of the tasting, highlighting the creative possibilities of sake in food pairing.

3. Genshu (Undiluted Sake) – Miyasakae Biwako no Kujira Muroka Nama Genshu (Kitajima Shuzo, Shiga Prefecture)

Genshu refers to sake that has not been diluted with water after fermentation, typically resulting in a higher alcohol content—usually around 17–20%. Most sake is adjusted to 15–16% ABV by adding water post-fermentation (or recently by managing fermentation itself), but mostly genshu retains its full strength and flavor. This style is valued for its intensity, structure, and concentration, which are well-balanced by the elevated alcohol. Depending on the producer, genshu can range from dry to sweet, but it consistently delivers more weight and impact on the palate.

This particular genshu, Miyasakae Biwako no Kujira Muroka, is even more distinctive. Not only is it undiluted, but it is also made without charcoal fining or pasteurization. Fining is often used to lighten the color, texture, or aroma—creating the crisp, dry, water-clear sake style once favored for commercial appeal. Pasteurization, on the other hand, helps stabilize the product in exchange for freshness and a liveliness. By skipping both, this sake maintains a richer, bolder, and more vibrant character, with heightened umami and texture.

While the elevated alcohol might come as a surprise to those more accustomed to wine or traditional sake styles, it also opens up new sensory possibilities. Some members suggested serving it over ice to round out the edges and highlight its complexity—a recommendation also echoed by the importer. What stood out most, however, was its purity, structure, and unapologetic intensity—resonating deeply with those who appreciate bold fortified wines, or sake that dares to show its full character.

4. Koshu (Aged Sake) – Takasago Junmai Ookoshu 1995 (Kanaya Shuzo, Ishikawa Prefecture)

Aged sake, or koshu, refers to sake that has been intentionally matured—often for several years—to develop deeper, more complex flavors and a well-rounded texture. Unlike most sake, which is best consumed young and fresh, koshu embraces the passage of time, allowing Maillard reactions between sugars and amino acids to create notes of caramel, dried fruits, honey, roasted nuts, and earthy nuances. There is no official regulation for what qualifies as “aged sake,” leading to a wide range of styles depending on the producer.

This particular example, Takasago Junmai Ookoshu 1995, has been aged for nearly three decades under carefully controlled conditions. It is brewed with Gohyakumangoku, a sake-specific rice polished to 60%. This is a sake that highlights the category’s full potential —still relatively niche even in Japan. 

This sake offers remarkable depth with Madeira-like aromas of caramel, soy sauce, roasted almond, molasses, toasted grains, and umami-rich broth. On the palate, it’s smooth yet structured, with fresh acidity balancing subtle residual sugar. Despite its sweetness, it feels dry and savory, finishing long with notes of dried figs and bittersweet molasses. A captivating aged sake that will intrigue fans of oxidative wines like Madeira or oloroso sherry. Best enjoyed slightly chilled or gently warmed to reveal its complexity.

5. Kijōshu (Sweet Sake) – Mutsu Hassen Kijōshu (Hachinohe Shuzo, Aomori Prefecture)

Kijōshu is a rare and luxurious style of sake made by replacing part of the brewing water with finished sake. This distinctive method allows fermentation to continue under elevated alcohol conditions, which naturally slows down yeast activity and prevents the sake from fermenting to full dryness. The result isn’t particularly high in alcohol, but it is rich, viscous, and sweet, with high amino acid content and deep complexity—often compared to noble rot wines like Sauternes or Tokaji.

Mutsu Hassen Kijōshu is a modern, elegant take on the kijōshu style, bursting with sweet aromas of lemon candy, honeyed apple, guava, and cotton candy, lifted by hints of lemongrass and mint. The palate is rich and velvety, with medium sweetness balanced by vibrant acidity. Notes of honeydew and blood orange add tropical depth. Silky and smooth throughout, it lingers gracefully. A refreshing yet indulgent dessert sake with charm and complexity.

Some tasters found the dessert-like charm and its rich sweetness would it be a natural match for bold blue cheeses or caramelized desserts, offering a luxurious end to a meal. While a few noted that the sake’s naturally lower acidity can make the sweetness feel more prominent (too sweet). 

Conclusion

Tasting with the team from Dutch Wine Apprentice was a thought-provoking experience. Each sake represented a distinct style, often showcasing extremes within its category—an intentional contrast to what most would consider “standard” sake. As expected, some tasters didn’t respond positively to all the samples, but that was part of the plan. Interestingly, many sommeliers discovered compelling pairing ideas for each style, highlighting sake’s versatility as a food-friendly beverage.

Sake is different from wine and doesn’t need to become wine—but it is undergoing a remarkable evolution that deserves attention. While wine boasts millennia of tradition, sake’s written history spans around 2,000 years—relatively young by comparison. Yet in that time, it has developed into a remarkably diverse category, rich in techniques and expressions. Some modern styles—like sparkling sake or kijōshu—clearly draw inspiration from the wine world, crafted to appeal to contemporary palates and global audiences. Others, such as genshu, nigori, muroka (unfiltered), and nama (unpasteurized), remain rooted in tradition but are being reinterpreted through modern brewing innovations. What we’ve explored is just a part of the world—a first glimpse into the breadth and personality of sake today.

In the final instalment of this series, we’ll dive into kimoto and yamahai: traditional methods that represent the intersection of ancient craft and modern artistry.

These sakes are imported into the Netherlands by Otemba Sake and are available through selected retailers, hospitality partners, and their own restaurant, Utage Sake Bar, in Amsterdam. We thank Otemba Sake for providing the bottles and this wonderful opportunity.

This article was written by our own Kazumi Uejo. Picture Credits: Otemba Sake, Dutch Wine Apprentice and the respective Sake Brewers that own their copyright..