HEAVENSAKE, a luxury Japanese sake brand currently operating in 15 countries worldwide as a Japanese-French blended sake, will make its Japan debut in November 2024. What's noteworthy is that it is created by Regis Camus, a legend in the world of champagne who is also known as the god of blending.
Currently, there are only five companies in Japan that can handle HEAVENSAKE. They have been carefully selected to carefully promote HEAVENSAKE based on its history, characteristics, and knowledge of sake, and in the Kansai region, only Sake World Japan Co., Ltd. can handle it. This time, we will also report on the tasting event at My Sake World, an original blend sake experience facility.

I spoke to this person

HEAVENSAKE Ambassador Hamada (Maeda) Akiko

Profile

She joined MBS Mainichi Broadcasting as an announcer. She moved to Dubai in 2017 after getting married. She is a sake connoisseur who holds sake seminars as a sake sommelier and sake taster there. She is currently the ambassador for the assemblage sake HEAVENSAKE.

My encounter with sake

-Please tell us about your first encounter with sake (hereinafter referred to as Hamada)

Hamada: "When I was a new announcer, columnist Masahiko Katsuya took me to Daimon Sake Brewery in Osaka, and the freshly pressed unpasteurized sake I tried there was so delicious. It all started with me drinking sake myself."

-You are also certified as a sake sommelier and lecturer in sake studies.

Hamada: "I started drinking sake and studying it at the same time. After I became a sake sommelier, I got more work related to alcohol. From there, I started connecting with people in the alcohol industry and even started giving seminars. I got really into it (laughs)."

-Please tell us about how you first met HEAVENSAKE.

Hamada: "I met my husband at a seminar to get a sake qualification. After we got married, we moved to Dubai, and I came across HEAVENSAKE while working on sake there."

It's a connection that was brought about by sake.

What is HEAVENSAKE?

Regis Camus

-Please tell us about HEAVENSAKE.

Hamada: "HEAVENSAKE is a sake brand that was launched in France in 2016. One of the founders, Karl Hirschmann, fell in love with sake and started the brand with the desire to share Japanese culture and sake culture with the world. Régis Camus, who is in charge of blending, served for many years as Cellar Master at Piper-Heidsieck, a French champagne house loved by celebrities around the world, and has been named Winemaker of the Year a total of eight times. In fact, the vast majority of champagne is made through assemblage (blending), and the outstanding techniques and culture of assemblage are deeply rooted in the brand."

From left: Label Noir / Label Azur / Label Orange

Three products were offered at the tasting event at My Sake World. From the left, they were Label Noir Junmai Daiginjo by Niizawa Brewery in Miyagi, famous for its Hakurakusei sake; Label Azur Junmai Ginjo, produced in collaboration with Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd., known for its Shichiken brand; and Label Orange Junmai Daiginjo by Saura, the makers of Urakasumi.

Hotel and food service industry personnel gathered to enjoy tastings accompanied by Hamada's commentary.

■ Label Noir Junmai Daiginjo (photo left)
It is reminiscent of muskmelon, ripe fruit, spring roses, peaches, and other fruits, and is characterized by a rich, fresh, and silky mouthfeel.

Hamada-san: "We blend several types of rice, from highly polished rice from Niizawa Brewery to rice polished to 50%. It has a light aroma, and you can taste the purity and umami of the clear water."

- There's a lingering sweetness in the aftertaste.

"This sweetness pairs perfectly with caviar or dried mullet roe. It also tastes great with clear dashi broth or Wagyu beef, simply paired with salt and wasabi. It goes well with a wide range of dishes, from appetizers to main courses."

"Regis's philosophy is to simply blend the wines together and aim to produce the most effective results. First, we decide on the base liquor and then blend it to create floral or fruity aromas. We spend three days deciding on the flavor and blending it, taking our time to carefully check the changes in flavor."

720ML | Alcohol content: 15%
Manufacturer: Shinzawa Brewery Co., Ltd.
General retail price: 16,060 yen (recommended retail price)

■ Label Azur Junmai Ginjo (center of photo)
It has a fruity flavor reminiscent of pear, apple, and grape, but is also slightly dry with a subtle acidity and a smooth taste. It is a delicate yet richly flavored sake.

Hamada-san: "It's an assemblage with rice polishing ratios of 27% to 57%. How does it compare to Noir?"

- They're completely different. They're both easy to pair with food. They're both very clean and have a refreshing aftertaste.

Hamada: "At Carl, we want people all over the world who have never tried sake to try it. We want to capture the characteristics of the brewery, while also creating a smooth flavor that anyone can easily enjoy. We want to express the depth of flavor and lingering finish that only an assemblage can provide."

"It has a clean, sharp taste, so you can imagine squeezing citrus fruits like kabosu over white fish. It goes well with sashimi and carpaccio. It also pairs well with Italian dishes like mozzarella cheese and prosciutto. I recommend it for people who don't like sweet things. It goes well with appetizers and mid-course dishes in a course meal."

720ML | Alcohol content: 15%
Manufacturer: Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd.
General retail price: 4,950 yen (recommended retail price)

■ Label Orange Junmai Daiginjo (photo on the right)
The rich aroma of ripe tropical fruits, reminiscent of pineapple, lychee, and mango, is accompanied by a milky nuance, while the aftertaste is dry and firm, with a deep complexity that lingers on the palate.

Hamada: "It has a dry alcoholic taste and a refreshing aftertaste. It goes well with rich dishes like meat, grilled fish, and creamy pasta."

-It has a different image from the usual Urakasumi.

Hamada: "That's right! You can taste the flavors of tropical fruits like pineapple and lychee. It also has the taste of dairy products and milk, such as butter. It goes well with cheese, so it's good with Parmesan cheese or creamy pasta."

- I can sense a bit of a strong alcohol content.

"For those who don't like high alcohol content, we suggest making cocktails by taking advantage of the strong aroma of the blend and adding cherry blossom liqueur or lychee juice."

720ML | Alcohol content: 16.3%
Manufacturer: Saura Co., Ltd.
General retail price: 11,717 yen (recommended retail price)

What I want to convey through sake

A tasting event at My Sake World Kyoto Kawaramachi store

-Is there anything you consider important when promoting sake?

Hamada says, "There are many people in Dubai who have never tried sake. My goal is to help people who have never seen sake or know anything about it to fall in love with it and enjoy it. I want to help them enjoy their first attempt at sake to the fullest, and to help them become sake fans, even if just a little."

"Once people become fans, they spread the word about its appeal. What I can do is small, but I hope to increase the number of sake fans, and that those fans will also spread the word about the greatness of sake as ambassadors."

-How was the PR in Kyoto this time?

Hamada: "In Japan, there are many people who are knowledgeable about sake, so I always respect them. This time, I'm studying Kyoto and Japanese culture again, so I'm trying not to be rude. It's nerve-wracking!"
This time, he participated in the HEAVENSAKE tasting event, and also provided commentary on the pairing of club music and sake at [Sake World], [Hotel Okura Kyoto Teppanyaki Tokiwa], and [Kyoto Cuisine Jikishinbo Saiki]. "I want to increase the number of sake fans," he said, and before he was a HEAVENSAKE ambassador, he was a sake fan himself. It was impressive to see him convey the deliciousness of sake as a first-time drink overseas, and in Japan, he talked about sake culture, the many breweries, and the merits of sake. I hope we can work together to promote the sake category.

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HEAVENSAKE, a luxury sake assemblage brand, arrives in Japan for the first time!

#Assemblage

▼Stores where you can purchase HEAVENSAKE

To make a reservation for Oike Bettei, click here

To make a reservation at the Kyoto Kawaramachi store, click here

Text: Sake World Editorial Department