A pairing dinner hosted by the Toki Sake Association, which defines the appeal of aged sake and old sake and disseminates it to the world.This time's theme is "Chinese food".Aged and aged sake are often touted to have a similar flavor to Shaoxing wine, so you can imagine that it goes well with them, but of course that's not the only reason.I want to take a closer look at the world of deep flavors that have changed over the years.

You can't talk about Japanese sake without mentioning aged sake and old sake.

There are some things you can understand when you actually drink it.Compared to new sake, it has a completely different aroma.It has a brandy-like aroma that blooms when warmed, and the expressions that are essential for expressing richness, such as caramel, nuts, raisins, and dried persimmons, come out one after another, which is also true of Western liquors. It is a fountain of sake that is second to none.There is a classification table for the aroma of Japanese sake called the "Flavor Wheel", which is also included in the sake master's textbook.Roughly speaking, about half of the aromas are easily felt from new sake, and about half are from aged and aged sake. Because it has a pleasant aroma, you could say that enjoying aged sake doubles the enjoyment of sake.On the other hand, it can be said that without aged sake and old sake, the appeal of Japanese sake would be halved.However, some of them have strong personalities, so you may either like them or dislike them.

▲This time, the dish will be served by sommelier/chef Kamizasa of the Chinese restaurant ``Chuka Nedai,'' a Chinese counter that can be enjoyed with all five senses, and is the hope of the Chinese world.He is also certified as an international medicinal chef, and his secret ingredients include medicinal herbs and wild herbs.

▲Today's drinks will be provided by Mr. Tokubei Masuda (pictured right), the XNUMXth generation owner of Kyoto's Tsuki no Katsura brewer, Masuda Tokubei Shoten, and Oi, the XNUMXth generation owner of Tenju Sake Brewery, Akita's Tenju brewer. Mr. Nagayoshi (photo left).

Speaking of Tsuki no Katsura, it is famous for the original "Nigori Sake".Breaking away from the definition of sake as ``filtered moromi'' and filtering it through coarse grains, they created ``nigorizake,'' which is neither clear sake nor doburoku, which is still in the moromi."Sparkling rice" means that the rice continues to ferment in the bottle even after bottling without pasteurization.Nowadays, they use Kyoto's sake-brewing rice, ``Iwai,'' to create a smooth, fine-grained cloudy sake.The sake brewery has a long history of aging, and I hear that some sake is aged in jars that are over XNUMX years old.
Tenju Sake Brewery is currently in its sixth generation.Located in a town along the Koyoshi River, which is the highest quality rice producing area in the rice country of Akita, the vast foothills of Mt. Chokai are blessed with high-quality water sources, and with deep snow, it is the perfect place for Akita-style low-temperature, long-term fermentation sake brewing. It is in.

The perfect pairing begins

▲XNUMX item: caviar, clam, white shrimp, cold made using Hong Kong noodles / Sake: Tsuki no Katsura, Shukumai, Junmai Daiginjo, Nigori sake

First, we started with noodles soaked in refreshing shantung.Tsuki no Katsura's nigori sake is sparkling.With an alcohol content of XNUMX%, you might expect it to feel heavy due to its cloudy ingredients, but the crispness and coolness from the sparkling make it a refreshing pairing.

▲XNUMXnd item: Spanish mackerel, Karasumi, green onion, green pepper, and yuzu pepper sauce / Sake: Tsuki no Katsura, Shukumai, Junmai Daiginjo, Nigori sake

The mackerel is sautéed on the surface and the inside is rare.Taiwanese pepper (margao) adds a refreshing lemongrass-like scent.The sake, which is fizzy yet has a deep umami flavor, becomes part of the sauce, completing the pairing.

▲XNUMX items: Shanghai crab marinated in Shaoxing wine / Sake: Tsuki no Katsura Junmai Daiginjo vat “De”

This sake is made from a unique blend of sake that has been aged in jars at room temperature for over 20 years.It is also used in the sauce for pickling Shanghai crab, and the long-lingering taste of old sake leaves behind the deliciousness of Shanghai crab.As hidden spices, I added tangerine peel, Japanese pepper, and some brandy.A full orchestra of layers of umami and aroma.In response to the complex aromas of aged and old sake, the curtain rises many times in your mouth.

▲XNUMX items: Charcoal-grilled puffer fish milt, exquisite hot spring water using Kinka ham, chrysanthemum sauce/Sake: Tenju, pure rice sake made with Kimoto sake, Chokaisan (warm)

Serve warm.It is aged for three years after being brewed using Miyama Nishiki, a sake-brewing rice that is purchased from contracted farmers.At Clamaster 2022, we won top prizes in many categories.It has a deep taste and a deep sense of nostalgia, and a wide range of marriage options.The rich and creamy milt, the refreshing wasabi, and the gentle mille-feuille of warm sake double the umami.A rich worldview that blooms when you warm something that has been slightly aged.And, strangely enough, the aftertaste of this sake disappears quickly when it is warmed.Therefore, I am not persistent.Another feature is that you can drink it easily.

▲XNUMX items: Crispy fried eel, sweet soy sauce sauce with the scent of five-spice powder, scent of Wakayama grapes and sansho pepper/Sake: Tenju, pure rice sake made with Kimoto, Hiya

The same sake as the XNUMXth item, this time with Hiyade.The interesting thing about sake is that its expression changes drastically depending on the temperature range.A different scent pops out, and he forms a best friend contract with Unagi.With my tongue full, I headed to Mt. Chokai, Akita's famous peak.

▲XNUMX items: Yamagata beef rib roast, hot pot style soup, quickly stir-fried with sake brewed yellow fish, garland chrysanthemum, and makomo mushroom / Sake: Tenju Junmai Daiginjo Chokaisan

Wagyu beef is a taste that brings unmistakable happiness.Give yourself a luxurious makeover with a spicy hot pot style dish.What goes well with that is a new sake that is also a curve ball and has the best value for money.A sho bottle costs 3,630 yen.It has an acidity and sharpness that mixes well with the spices from the hot pot, and quickly washes away the fat from the Wagyu beef.Adding tempo with new sake creates a rhythm in the flow of the course.

▲XNUMX items: Shark fin steak with rich hot water sauce and chewy scorched rice with truffles / Sake: Tenju XNUMX brewed aged sake

When warmed, the fragrant flowers open like brandy, and a large number of aromatic components appear.XNUMX% polished rice without pesticides.After brewing, it is stored in tanks.Due to Akita's location, this XNUMX-year-old product was stored at extremely low temperatures, at a maximum of XNUMX degrees Celsius.Although it doesn't have an outstanding aroma or deliciousness, it has a well-balanced richness and aroma, and a gentle taste with a burst of umami in every bite.A golden pairing that will make you empty your plate in an instant, even though you've eaten six dishes so far.

▲XNUMX items: Soft-shelled turtle Tenjin rice/Sake: Tsuki no Katsura Junmai Ginjo Yanagi

Tenshin rice filled with gentle umami.It already feels like Kyoto cuisine.In other words, it is obvious that it goes well with sake.Sake made from rice can be gently added to rice products.Even though I'm Hiroshi Sekai, I can only think of sake that goes well with rice. You might be asking, "How about some beer?", but I'd like you to try putting fried rice and beer in your mouth at the same time.I'm sure there won't be any harmony.

▲Dessert: Almond tofu Tenju Junmai Daiginjo served with Shonai persimmon sauce cooked using Mt. Chokai / Sake: Tsuki no Katsura Shukumai Junmai Daiginjo Nigori sake

The sauce, which is cooked using Tenju and added a little nigori sake at the end, is the best match.Even dessert?However, I feel that Japanese sake goes well with dessert.

A word from the masters

Seiichi Koshimizu, an advisor to the Tokizake Association, also participated on this day.Speaking of Mr. Koshimizu, he is Suntory's honorary chief blender, has brought many famous sakes to the world, and is so famous that there is no one in the whiskey industry who does not know his name. In 2023, he received an award from the Commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, and his contribution to the aging of sake was also recognized.He says he feels he has a lot of potential.

▲Kokusake Association Advisor/Suntory Spirits Ltd. Honorary Chief Blender Seiichi Koshimizu

``So-called new sake is attractive, but aged sake with its complex aroma and taste is even more appealing.I'm sure it has a special worldview that expands the range of sake and expands the image of sake in the eyes of drinkers around the world. I think it has great potential, especially when it comes to pairing with food.In the world of whisky, it goes well with chocolate and certain ingredients, but sake has a sense of ``attracting'' ingredients even more.It's a so-called marriage. I think there is a world of umami, which is one of the characteristics of Japanese sake.Another characteristic is sourness.Of course, whiskey also has sourness, but the sourness found in sake and wine is caused by the ingredients. It is an important element that acts as a mediator when matching with someone," says Koshimizu.

▲Mr. Ueno, Managing Director of the Toki SAKE Association (Owner of long-term aged sake bars “Shucharon” and “Juku to Kan”)

“Actually, when opening a Chinese restaurant, we are sometimes asked about the sake lineup.Of course, Shaoxing wine is important, but for the delicate Chinese taste that Japanese people like, we need aged sake. It is easier to match them, and it is especially easy to adjust the strength.Even though it is called Chinese food, there are many different dishes depending on the region, and of course the taste is not all the same.New sake takes Japanese spices well.On the other hand, aged sake is made with a variety of flavors from around the world. I can also handle spices,” says Ueno.

“Sake pairing” has become a popular topic recently.

In fact, the all-mighty quality of this sake, which goes well with almost anything, may have been its merits and demerits, and may have made it difficult for the custom of going out of its way to pair it with sake to take root in the world of gourmet food.However, the world is in the Age of Gourmet Exploration.While the world is captivated by elaborate flavor designs, delicate tastes, and minute differences in flavor, sake is surely the superstar of sake to accompany meals.The scent is delicate and relatively mild.It does not easily affect the flavor of the ingredients, and its subtle sweetness and sourness attract the ingredients.Above all, sake, which contains the most umami flavor in the world, has a wide range of possibilities.Looking at the ever-increasing export value, it can be said that the world is beginning to realize this.
Furthermore, in ancient times there was no ginjo sake, and the culture of aged sake and old sake, which had been disappearing, has been revived.In recent decades, the production of kimoto, the lost sake rice, has been revived, and related technologies related to brewing, such as flattened rice and thermal control, have improved.There are sweet and sour ones made with yellow koji, and fragrant ones made with champagne yeast.Some are aged in sherry casks and have an elegant wood aroma.It is no exaggeration to say that the potential of sake is now at its highest in history.

The ingredients on the food hygiene label for sake are "rice, rice malt, and water."You might think that there are only three factors, but in fact there are countless variables involved in sake production, including rice variety, yeast, rice polishing ratio, koji ratio, whether it is fresh or pasteurized, filtration method, storage temperature, and age.There is even a view that depending on the cooling rate after pasteurization, short-term maturation due to heating may be required.Aging can even involve a combination of several temperature ranges, such as room-temperature aging followed by low-temperature aging.

It is truly "transformative and unlimited."Which axis should we use to plot the flavor?There is still a long way to go in elucidating the complete picture of sake, and the future is limitless.

Toki SAKE Association General Incorporated Association　https://tokisake.or.jp

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