Sake Tasting Thoughts

Not being able to brew sake right now, I have turned my attention to tasting as much sake as I can.

Over the last five or so years, since my first encounter with premium sake, I have been lucky to taste a lot of Nihonshu.

It was quite hard at first.

Initially, my senses seemed dull.

Sweet? Dry? Okay.

Aromatic? Yes.

But have you ever read the descriptions that go along with some sake? They are often quite vexing, if you approach the sake from the top down:

"Hmm.. this says notes of stonefruit, honey and pear. Essense of custard. Disappears with notes of cocoa. Cocoa?! In the sake? Huh. Let's see if I can taste it..."

I did this at first, but I stopped because this approach often left me disappointed, and muttering to myself that "I just can't taste the cocoa," or I am definitely not getting the "custard."

Not a fun way to go about things.

Acknowledging that taste perception can vary naturally from person to person, I still wondered to myself if I am a 'sensory dud'.

Well, I stopped doing it this way awhile ago- tasting from the top down. I now drink from the bottom up and with an open mind.

"What do I taste in there? What are my senses picking up?"

It's not easy, and it takes focus and patience, but after awhile, my sake started to speak to me in more subtle tones- more than just sweet or dry.

I ignore the description on the menu, or the label,  and work from what's in the glass. After taking notes, I will then look at the bottle, if available and try to find a correlation between what I taste and what the bottle tells me about the sake. Or research it when I get home online.

But hundreds of bottle later, I often get a subtle hint of flavor or aroma and I wonder out loud, "What is that?"

Focus or not, expressing these perceptions is not the easiest thing to do, which is why, I guess some descriptions throw so many words at you, like the one above, hoping that you might get one or two. Research has shown that we don't all taste the same thing, after all.

To say nothing of the link between smell and memory.

Which may also explain why, in the fun documentary Somm, Master Sommelier Ian Cauble, got some ribbing from his wine buddies for coining the 'fresh can of tennis balls' descriptor for a certain Riesling. I kind of knew what he meant, even though it sounds crazy.

So I am less worried about these things now, especially after reading John Gauntner's Sake Confidential.

While expression of what you taste is important, it doesn't matter as as much as being consistent.

Sake Confidential (p.167) :

"If you smell peach and others smell apple, that is fine as long as each time you encounter that sake- or one with similar characteristics- you again smell peach."

Yes, consistency is key.

This means tasting. A lot. And taking consistent notes.

I realize that I am not alone. I serve sake at a sake bar restaurant and brewery, and sometimes I get some customers that go through similar experiences, especially after reading a description on the menu.

"Notes or marshmallow, bubblegum, and licorice...?" they read aloud in a questioning tone, and look to me with incredulous eyes.

And I'm often left explaining my own experience as a sake drinker, relating the above story.

I also explain to people that these are not 1:1 flavor correspondences. That is to say, not only might you not perceive all of these flavors, but you might not get any, or get others completely.

 But above all, I remind them first that these descriptors are meant as evocation and that sake is complex and subtle, to boot. Not too often do these flavors just jump out and whack you on the palate.

Which makes sake one intriguing drink that just begs exploring.