What is HEAVENSAKE?

Regis Camus

This luxury sake brand, a Japanese-French collaboration of blended sake, is currently available in over 10 countries around the world. It will make its debut in Japan in November 2024. The most notable feature is that Regis Camus, a legend in the world of champagne and renowned as the god of blending, personally visits breweries across Japan to create the blend using carefully selected brands. The flavor is created using incredible techniques, such as creating a perfume-like aroma and increasing sharpness through blending.

Ambassadors' commentary as guideposts

HEAVENSAKE Ambassador Hamada (Maeda) Akiko

This event was accompanied by commentary from HEAVENSAKE Ambassador Hamada (Maeda) Akiko, who came to Japan from Dubai. Although she usually works mainly in Dubai, she is originally from Mie Prefecture and regularly returns to Japan. She has been a certified sake sommelier for over 15 years and has been involved in various sake-related activities. Her maiden name was Maeda, which may sound familiar to those from the Kansai region. She was a former announcer for MBS from 2006 to 2017. What I remember most about her is her appearance in the gourmet corner that aired during the lunchtime on a popular Saturday program.

He has been sharing information about sake for many years through radio and columns, and now he is continuing his efforts to promote sake in Dubai. That's why he was appointed as an ambassador, and he is not only knowledgeable about sake, but above all, as a former announcer, it goes without saying that he is a great explainer. His detailed explanations had the participants nodding along and picking up their chopsticks. There were alternating periods of silence as they were engrossed in the deliciousness, and periods of flying questions, and it was clear from the questions that the participants were food connoisseurs.

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Imaginative Sake

Saiki, the owner and chef of Jikishinbo Saiki, is also knowledgeable about wine and has hosted pairing dinners with champagne in the past. When Saiki tried HEAVENSAKE for the first time, he said, "It's amazing, it has a beautiful taste. I had heard that an authority on French champagne had blended the sake, so I was a bit wary of what it would taste like, but Noir goes well with anything, including sashimi. I was surprised." As he was tasting, he began coming up with ideas for dishes to pair it with. In other words, HEAVENSAKE is truly an imaginative sake. The menu that was actually served on the day was as follows:

<Special Cuisine Kikuzuki>
・Appetizer: Round sesame tofu, small sweet potato, okra, shikishi leeks, dew ginger
・Tsubo eggplant and herring with vinegar jelly, wasabi and chrysanthemum
・Mukai (saury), saury, perilla, cucumber, Nanjing, red heart radish, shiso leaf, wasabi
・Replacement bowl: Conger eel shabu-shabu style with matsutake mushroom, mitsuba, and chiri vinegar
・Seasoning: Chrysanthemum pot, chrysanthemum greens, hairy crab, Sakamoto chrysanthemum, duck and fig, chestnut with skin, checkered yam, salmon, cormorant conger eel roe, ginkgo nut and pine needles
・Grilled appetizers: miso-marinated grilled sweetfish with roe, sesame-marinated maitake mushrooms, and Moriguchi daikon radish with pine needles
・Lidded container: Lily root bun, eel, walnuts, tiger prawns, green beans, Gin'an, dew ginger
・Rice: Guji rice, pickles, boiled noodles, mochi
・Shine Muscat, Nagano Purple, and a selection of French peaches

From left: Label Noir / Label Azur / Label Orange

The HEAVENSAKE wines were served in the order of Noir, Azure, and Orange, taking into consideration their compatibility with the food. Hamada's ideas for HEAVENSAKE and Saiki's commitment to ingredients were thoroughly discussed in advance, and the creative process, which also includes alcohol, is truly creative and difficult. This is what makes it so interesting, and why pairing events have become more common recently. It was still hot in September. Although it was the off-season, the participants were delighted with the wonderful feast that was a unique blend of early, seasonal, and lingering flavors, unique to Japanese cuisine.

The first sip of Noir's delicate, crisp flavor doesn't overpower the flavor of any of the ingredients. Its smooth finish is also artistic. It pairs perfectly with everything from the rich dashi broth of soft-shelled turtle to the delicate sashimi of akou sea bass. This is a wonderful assemblage sake, based on Niizawa Brewery's ultra-high-polished rice and ginjo sake. Its well-polished, mirror-like flavor reflects the quality of the ingredients.

The second drink, Azul, was produced in collaboration with Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd., known for the Shichiken brand. It has fruity notes of pear, apple, and grape, but is also slightly dry with a subtle acidity and smooth taste, all the while being packed with the rich flavor of rice. The moment you pair it with conger eel and matsutake mushrooms, the breeze of summer turning to autumn passes through your throat, making this a magical, delicious sake that will have you saying "delicious!" The beautiful blue bottle features an image of rice stalks.

The third sip, Orange, has a pleasantly smooth texture and a rich taste and aroma, but finishes dry. The refreshing fruitiness of pineapple and lychee spreads in the mouth, gradually intertwining with the sweet aroma of green apple and melon. The elegant floral scent lingers at the end, and the lingering dried fruit finish leaves a rich impression. It complements the smoky flavor of charcoal-grilled sweetfish with miso yuan sauce, further enhancing the flavors of autumn.

The final dish, paired with dessert, was "Assemblage Club 01 Taro'," also an assemblage sake, but heavier and sweeter than HEAVENSAKE. This is an assemblage made by three Kyoto breweries, spanning more than one brewery.

The fun time just flew by. This time, the same menu was served for both dinner and lunch, but seeing how everyone enjoyed it, I imagine it must have been delicious. We hope to continue sharing the world of old and new blended sake.

Of the three brands, "HEAVENSAKE Junmai Ginjo Azur" has been selected and will be on the menu this time. It is an all-purpose sake that can be paired with a wide range of flavors without having to think about pairings. Be sure to try it at Kyoto Cuisine Jikishinbo Saiki.

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▼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