ジャパンセンター日本酒シリーズ 第4回：日本酒、焼酎、それとも梅酒？

Welcome to Japan Centre’s Sake Series. Whether you’re a sake connoisseur or a complete beginner, let the Japan Centre be your guide to the rich world of sake. Part 4: sake, Shochu or Umeshu? will give you an insight into some of Japan’s other delicious alcoholic drinks, and show you how to get creative with cocktails.

With party season fast approaching, there’s no better time to think about getting creative with cocktails and trying out something new for 2021. Part 2: choosing Your Sake gives you an insight into the different sake classifications for all budgets, from standard Futsushu sake through to premium Junmai. But if you want to try something a little different, with a fruity zing or a bit of a fizz, then here’s a recap of Japan Centre sake sommelier’s top recommendations:

Sparkling, cloudy, or fruity?

• Sparkling: Fizzy and bubbly, the sake alternative to champagne.

• Recommendations: Gekkeikan Utakata / Masumi Sparkling

• Nigori: Cloudy sake which has been coarsely filtered. This sake should always be served chilled.

• Recommendations: Shotoku Yuzu Nigori / Gekkeikan Nigori

• Umeshu: Made by steeping Japanese ume plums in sake alcohol and sugar until the flavour of the plum has infused into the alcohol.

• Recommendations: Gekkeikan Kanjuku Umeshu / Nihonsakari Sake-Blended Umeshu

• Yuzushu: Sweet and crisp sake with delicious notes of yuzu, a popular Japanese citrus fruit.

• Recommendations: Hana No Mai Sparkling Yuzu / Nihon Sakari Yuzu Sake or Shochu

Sake or shochu?

If you want to further tantalise your tastebuds, then why not give shochu a try? Shochu is another popular and versatile drink from Japan, with an alcohol level usually between 25-45%. Sake is a fermented alcohol made with rice whilst shochu is a distilled beverage which can be made from rice or a variety of other ingredients such as sweet potato, barley, or buckwheat. Each of these different ingredients gives shochu a unique flavour, much like the varying tastes of scotch whiskey.

Shochu originated in Kyoto and its popularity is highest in southern Japan where the weather is warmer. Sake brewing is more suited to cool temperatures, but shochu can be distilled in warmer climates.

Premium shochu is often served with lots of ice or hot water in winter. Non-premium shochu is a great base for fruity cocktails as it has a high alcohol content, and can be mixed with different ingredients to compliment its earthy taste.

Sake, shochu and umeshu cocktail ideas

Want to find out more about sake?

If you’ve missed the other blog posts in our Japan Centre sake series, check out Part 1: what is sake and how is it made? for a brief history of sake and an overview of how it’s made.

Part 2: choosing your sake is helpful for those of you who need to navigate your way through the different styles and grades available.

Part 3: enjoying sake with food focuses on how to serve and enjoy your chosen sake and introduces you to some delicious food pairings. All blog posts have been written with expert insight from Japan Centre’s sake sommelier team.

Japan Centre have directly imported some of the best sake from the finest breweries in Japan and our in-house sommelier team at Japan Centre Leicester Square will be more than happy to help you select a sake to suit you if you are shopping in-store.

Enjoy all this and more by shopping in-store at Japan Centre Leicester Square, Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City. Alternatively you can get fresh produce delivered straight to your door by shopping online at the Japan Centre website.

Words by Emily Lovell