Is it time to pivot to saké? Cate Blanchett certainly thinks so. The double Academy Award-winning actor and producer recently joined Toku Saké as Creative Director, overseeing creative strategy and direction for the Japanese brand, including new product development and innovation.
And having sampled the brand’s super premium Junmai Daiginjo saké, we think she might be onto something – it really is exquisite.
Brewed in Hokkaido, the coldest city in Japan, Toku Saké has a gloriously delicate taste. It’s sweet but not cloying, with aromatic, fruity notes and a smooth, rich finish.
With a nod to over 120 years of tradition, this Junmai Daiginjo is made using time-honoured techniques by one of the region’s oldest breweries. It’s crafted from highly polished Yamada Nishiki rice, said to be the best quality rice with which to make saké, and fermented in the region’s famously freezing conditions.
With a nod to over 120 years of tradition, this Junmai Daiginjo is made using time-honoured techniques by one of the region’s oldest breweries…
Toku Saké Junmai Daiginjo tasting notes
This saké has a distinctly fruity aroma, predominantly banana, melon, peach and apples. On the palate, you’ll taste steamed Nishiki rice, gently sweetened by sun-kissed fruits. Silky smooth and refreshing, it’s light and easy to drink. The finish lingers just long enough to savour.
Toku Saké can be enjoyed both neat or in a cocktail. Our preference would be to serve it chilled at 5°C in a stemmed wine glass. It pairs beautifully with fish, curry roux, and sembei crackers.
Interest in saké from UK shoppers is growing. We’re told that Waitrose has reported a 214 per cent rise in searches for saké, while wine merchants Berry Bros & Rudd has reported a 1,000 per cent rise in saké sales in the past year.
A new spirits house showcasing novel Asian ingredients and distilling traditions has launched with four core expressions spanning vodka, gin, whisky and rum. Founded by entrepreneur Michel Lu, The Orientalist Spirits positions itself as an ‘all-Asian’ portfolio, drawing on ingredients, techniques and flavour profiles sourced from across the continent. Lu, whose background spans fashion, music…
A rare piece of Japanese whisky history has found a place on the drinks list at Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay, where a single dram now carries a price tag of £2,300. The Asian-inspired eatery, created by Gordon Ramsay, opened last year in London’s 22 Bishopsgate as a high-rise dining destination blending fine cuisine with…
Two new exclusive bottlings have been released by The Whisky Exchange, offering dram-fans a chance to explore contrasting whisky styles from Ireland and Japan – one is a 20-year-old Redbreast, matured in Oloroso sherry casks, the other a single-cask Mars Komagatake, the latest entries in its Sumo Series. The Redbreast offers mature pot still character,…
The Luxe Review 
Is it time to pivot to saké? Cate Blanchett certainly thinks so. The double Academy Award-winning actor and producer recently joined Toku Saké as Creative Director, overseeing creative strategy and direction for the Japanese brand, including new product development and innovation.
And having sampled the brand’s super premium Junmai Daiginjo saké, we think she might be onto something – it really is exquisite.
Brewed in Hokkaido, the coldest city in Japan, Toku Saké has a gloriously delicate taste. It’s sweet but not cloying, with aromatic, fruity notes and a smooth, rich finish.
With a nod to over 120 years of tradition, this Junmai Daiginjo is made using time-honoured techniques by one of the region’s oldest breweries. It’s crafted from highly polished Yamada Nishiki rice, said to be the best quality rice with which to make saké, and fermented in the region’s famously freezing conditions.
Toku Saké Junmai Daiginjo tasting notes
This saké has a distinctly fruity aroma, predominantly banana, melon, peach and apples. On the palate, you’ll taste steamed Nishiki rice, gently sweetened by sun-kissed fruits. Silky smooth and refreshing, it’s light and easy to drink. The finish lingers just long enough to savour.
Toku Saké can be enjoyed both neat or in a cocktail. Our preference would be to serve it chilled at 5°C in a stemmed wine glass. It pairs beautifully with fish, curry roux, and sembei crackers.
Interest in saké from UK shoppers is growing. We’re told that Waitrose has reported a 214 per cent rise in searches for saké, while wine merchants Berry Bros & Rudd has reported a 1,000 per cent rise in saké sales in the past year.
Bottle at 16% ABV, the 72cl Toku Saké sells for £155. Buy your bottle here.
From Shangri-La to London bar, The Orientalist launches ‘slightly premium’ all-Asian spirits range
A new spirits house showcasing novel Asian ingredients and distilling traditions has launched with four core expressions spanning vodka, gin, whisky and rum. Founded by entrepreneur Michel Lu, The Orientalist Spirits positions itself as an ‘all-Asian’ portfolio, drawing on ingredients, techniques and flavour profiles sourced from across the continent. Lu, whose background spans fashion, music…
Rare Shirakawa 1958 single malt now served at Gordon Ramsay Lucky Cat Asian restaurant
A rare piece of Japanese whisky history has found a place on the drinks list at Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay, where a single dram now carries a price tag of £2,300. The Asian-inspired eatery, created by Gordon Ramsay, opened last year in London’s 22 Bishopsgate as a high-rise dining destination blending fine cuisine with…
The Whisky Exchange debuts 20 Year Old Redbreast Irish Whiskey and Mars Komagatake Japanese single cask exclusives
Two new exclusive bottlings have been released by The Whisky Exchange, offering dram-fans a chance to explore contrasting whisky styles from Ireland and Japan – one is a 20-year-old Redbreast, matured in Oloroso sherry casks, the other a single-cask Mars Komagatake, the latest entries in its Sumo Series. The Redbreast offers mature pot still character,…
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