When it comes to drinks that define nations, it’s tough to get more representative than sake is to Japan. It’s such a staple in its homeland that it more commonly goes by ‘nihonshu’ meaning simply ‘Japanese alcoholic drink’. But despite the history and tradition that sake shares with its domestic market, its popularity has been in a prolonged freefall. According to Japanese market research company Tokyoesque, since the category peaked in 1973, domestic sales declined by 75% from 1.7 billion litres to around 420 million litres in 2020, with many younger consumers drinking less and the domestic market offering increasing amounts of choice, especially of traditionally western drinks categories.
But while the country’s 1,200 or so active sake breweries struggle to engage with a more modern and outward-looking Japan, the category is continuing to gain fans overseas. According to the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association, between 2011 and 2022 total exports grew from 14 million litres to 35.9 million litres, an increase of more than 150%.
“There’s a growing appreciation of Japanese food and culture globally,” says Miho Komatsu, sake sommelier and brand ambassador of premium sake brand Akashi-Tai.
“In the past few years, the UK has become the top export market for Akashi-Tai, followed by the US and Germany. Exports of sake in 2021 totalled 40.2bn yen ($294m, £243m), according to the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association, a record high for the 12th year in a row. And, in the UK, we’ve seen use in the on-trade has grown significantly with key accounts across the country and not just in London. From 2021 to 2022, we’ve seen a 42% growth across our portfolio, an 83% growth in the on-trade, and an 88% growth in sparkling sake.”
Sake classifications are defined by the extent to which the sake rice has been polished, with a higher rice polishing ratio (RPR) typically seen in more premium sakes.
“If you see the word ginjo, it means the RPR is at least 60%. Daiginjo means the rice was polished down to at least 50%, honjozo is at least 70%, and junmai being ‘purely rice’, so the most polished of them all. The honjozo style is a great entrance to the premium category, it tends to yield a less aromatic taste, which is easy to drink. The junmai, considered a grand cru, exhibits a richer mouthfeel, more savoury and complex flavours.”
It’s this savoury complexity that has won the category admirers in the restaurant industry. No longer confined to Japanese cuisine, sommeliers across many cuisines have noticed the category’s culinary potential.
“Sake has a very distinguished umami character that makes the category stand out from other drinks,” says Melania Bellesini, head sommelier at three-Michelin star restaurant, The Fat Duck.
“There’s a vast range and styles of sake, so pairing with food is great fun and can cover the whole menu, from aperitifs and cocktails to the savoury courses and even at the end, with cheese and desserts.
“The umami character unites with the dish, lifting the flavour profile, almost becoming an additional ingredient. Many people believe sake to be a strong, powerful drink, but there can also be a delicacy to sake that is very different to a wine. It offers our guests something unique, it opens the mind to a world of something different, and obviously for us we love to challenge the mind. This gives us the opportunity to share a new experience and introduce our guests to the beauty and distinctive flavours of this wonderful drink.”
At The Fat Duck, Bellesini offers her guests a full sake pairing menu. “The idea to create a full sake pairing came to me a few years ago,” she says. “I noticed that some of our guests were not drinking wines and it was at the same time I was starting to discover the vast range and variety of styles available.
“When I started to offer this as a pairing, I was delighted that so many of our guests were curious to try it. Now our sake pairing is incredibly well received – not only does it offer something that is outside of the usual guest expectation, it adds a dimension to our dishes that some wine does not bring.”
But not all restaurants are The Fat Duck and for many people in a fine-dining setting a visit is a truly special and rare occasion, and there is an expectation that fine grape wines will be on the agenda.
“I don’t think there is a better place than The Fat Duck to try something new,” says Bellesini.
“Our guests are here to enjoy an exceptional experience, they are receptive and keen to expand their knowledge, especially when they understand the work we do to pair our wines with every dish. We are very lucky that our guests come with a very open mind, not just in terms of their dining expectations but also in their approach to the extensive list we offer for drinks.
“I’m not sure if in a truly classic fine-dining setting a full sake pairing would be so popular, although I can see no reason for sake not to be proposed as part of the wine pairing, just to let the classic palate discover something different and equally exquisite. As a sommelier, it is part of our role to ensure that any guest is comfortable about what they are drinking, and moreover that this is something they will enjoy.”
Wine alternative
It’s in that point where sake comes up against an obstacle in the fine-dining setting. It takes an adventurous kind of guest to eschew a glass of champagne with its deep-rooted cultural identity in luxury for a glass of sparkling sake. But simply pitching the category as a grape wine alternative isn’t necessarily the best approach.
“While fans and sommeliers often have well-defined preferences, there is indeed a challenge in positioning premium sake solely as a wine alternative,” says Grace Hunt, chief operating officer at Toku Sake, a premium daiginjo junmai brand that recently appointed Oscar-winning actor Cate Blanchett as creative director.
“Instead, it’s more effective to highlight sake’s unique characteristics, such as its diverse flavour profiles, craftsmanship, and cultural significance. Emphasising sake’s ability to complement a wide range of cuisines and offering educational materials or guided tastings can help wine enthusiasts appreciate sake on its own merits rather than as a mere substitute for wine. Additionally, training sommeliers and restaurant staff about sake appreciation can enhance the dining experience for patrons seeking something different from the traditional wine offerings.”
And it’s that aforementioned appreciation of Japanese cultural significance that is helping the category find popularity overseas in the exact demographics that are responsible for its domestic declines.
“The popularity of Japanese culture among Millennials and Gen Z can indeed translate to more interest in sake, although the extent of this interest within the premium segment varies,” says Hunt. “Millennials tend to adhere to a less-but-better mindset that is driven by experience. They appreciate the opportunity to enjoy premium sake like Toku by the glass, prioritising exceptional experiences over quantity. And social media platforms, where trends spread rapidly among younger demographics, can play a significant role in promoting sake and showcasing its versatility in cocktails, food pairings and cultural experiences.”
Successfully articulating the versatility of the category will likely be the key to premium sake’s sustained growth in the export market. While sommeliers will no doubt increasingly contextualise and demonstrate the culinary potential of the category at the top end of the on-trade, if producers are able to tap into the virality that social media can facilitate then there’s very little reason the category can’t become a hit. The category awareness is already there, alongside the cultural fascination with Japanese culture and cuisine, and with a bit of fortune, those may well be the seeds of massive potential.
