Chris's Corner - What Makes High End Sake High End?
Greetings Sake Fans and Connoiseurs,
Chris here, back at it again with another Chris's Corner. First off, I just wanted to say thank you for all the kind words online and in person about the "Regional Sake Trends" column. I had fun gathering data on this one, plus I feel that everyone needs to know about the immensely helpful tool known as www.saketime.jp. By the way, I just wanted to put it out there that we added two more #1 regional sake into the True Sake lineup via SIPT Global: Fukushima's Sharaku and Hokkaido's Kamikawa Taisetsu.
But I digress. Today, we're here to talk about "high end sake" and what makes sake high end. The other day we were going through our staff research & development tasting queue and while we were tasting a lineup, it was brought to our attention that this is a "high end" sake in restaurants only. But why though? I'm that annoying guy that always needs to ask "why?" What truly makes something high end?
It could simply be scarce and a brewery doesn't make a lot of the sake. Maybe it's the limited amount of rice available, as Japan is indeed going through a rice shortage crisis right now. Maybe it's being made in the drip shizuku style, which we all know has very low yields. Maybe it's aged sake where an age statement could actually command a higher price tag if properly marketed. Maybe it's a very hyper polished single digit seimaibuai. Or...
It could be a story. We are sake storytellers here at True Sake. There's literally a story about each and every bottle we sell here. Maybe it won the gold medal at a sake competition. Maybe the brewmaster is only 30 years old. Maybe the brewery is rising through the ashes of a natural disaster. Or maybe it's just wildly popular at your favorite trendy hype izakaya or standing bar in Tokyo. Again, I ask the question, "Why is it popular?" Is it popular because it tastes good? Or because someone says so?
There are many ways to get to a destination. Let's talk about how some sake here at True Sake truly ends up being "high end". You could also look at our infamous "BALLER SECTION" of the newsletter and ask yourself, "How did we get here?" For example, in February we talked about Juyondai. Maybe this isn't the best example, but this is high end because of simple supply and demand, being featured at trendy restaurants and bars, and from the lore of traveling Michelin chasing foodies to Japan. In this March newsletter that you're reading right now, Akabu is featured mainly due to scarcity, as we were only able to snag a 1 case of 6. It also commands a "high end" price tag due to the aging process, and the rice polishing ratio. Also, Akabu Shuzo is highly rated on saketime.jp. On top of that, the packaging is absolutely stunning and a signature of Akabu Shuzo. But quite frankly, what matters most to me is whether or not the sake tastes good. Style and substance. Fashion and function. And Akabu can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. At the end of the day, the sake has to taste great, straight up. Once the sake does indeed taste great, you can add a myriad of other reasons as to what makes a sake "high end."
And there you have it! Hope you enjoyed reading this section of the newsletter. If there's a topic that you want to see tackled and dissected, let us know!
Till next time,
Chris
*Has once sold a sake for the same price as a used Toyota Yaris.