Saké 101
- Chapter 1: What is Saké?
- Chapter 2: How is Saké Made?
- Chapter 3: Saké Vocabulary
- Chapter 4: Types of Saké
- Chapter 5: How to Serve Saké
- Chapter 6: Tasting Saké
- Chapter 7: Uncommon Pairs
Chapter 6: Tasting Saké
Tasting saké is an easy lesson in anatomy; legs, nose, mouth.
Look at those legs. Swirl the saké. If rich legs form on the glass, the saké will have more body (more anatomy), generally richer flavors, and feel more full or round in the mouth. It should be clear, but occasionally may be slightly yellow.
The nose knows. Swirling releases tiny droplets in the glass allowing us to more easily smell the saké. Try smelling saké before you swirl, then swirl and smell again. The difference in intensity should be significant. What do you smell? Think in terms of familiar aromas. Common saké aromas include honeydew, cantaloupe, peach, tropical fruits, mineral, earth, green apple, coconut, anise. If these aromas would enhance your meal (think tropical fruit salsa on grilled chicken), then the saké and the food should work well together. Want to swirl without sending wine flying all over the room? Practice swirling by rotating the glass with the base on a tabletop.
Time to drink it. You will taste flavors equivalent to some, but not necessarily all, of the aromas you noticed. The basic tastes your tongue recognizes are sweet, sour, salt and bitter. Of course saké does not have salt and should not be bitter. But tropical spices, mineral, coconut, an earthiness, and, of course, rich creamy saké rice is often noticed on the palette. Fruit-infused sakés should have aromas and flavors true to their particular infusion. Ideally, the flavors will linger. A long finish is a sign of good saké.
