DECANTER LOVES…
Sake
With traditional Japanese sake brewing techniques expected to gain UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status in 2024, there’s never been a better time to discover this versatile, gently fermented alcoholic drink made from milled rice and water. Outside Japan, many wine lovers are unaware of sake’s food matching potential, says founder of the British Sake Association, Shirley Booth, who goes on to explain that sake pairs with food in a different way than wine. ‘There are many styles of sake: the delicate styles will enhance the flavours of delicate food, such as fish, while more funky, robust sakes will bring out the flavours in more robustly flavoured dishes.’ Booth recommends dipping your toe into the water with a ginjo or junmai ginjo style, which tend to have a fruitier flavour profile. Tengu Sake (tengusake.com) and London Sake (londonsake. com) are good places for UK-based online shoppers to visit. Once opened, sake will last a couple of weeks in the fridge; some styles are best served chilled, while umami-packed junmai, honjozo and everyday futsushu are delicious warm.
If you’d rather have your sake served by an expert, explore the UK’s biggest sake list at Kioku Bar, opening this spring within The OWO, London’s newly renovated Old War Office in Whitehall. The bar will complement a high-end Japanese rooftop restaurant, Kioku by Endo (owolondon.com), run by chef Endo Kazutoshi of Michelin one-star Endo at The Rotunda in west London. Learn more about sake at decanter.com/sake