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.
From AI-powered disaster planning to investable wine, CEATEC 2026 offers a glimpse of Japan’s next wave of innovation. Taking place at Makuhari Messe, near Tokyo, many of the innovations extend beyond traditional consumer electronics. Japan’s flagship technology exhibition has increasingly become a showcase for new business models, emerging luxury experiences and technologies designed to reshape…
The UK’s smallest pub is packing its bags for Japan, with The Nutshell from Bury St Edmunds being recreated inside an Osaka department store this October. For two weeks, a little piece of Suffolk will be making an unlikely appearance in Japan. The Nutshell, widely recognised as the UK’s smallest pub, is being recreated inside…
Japan House London is set to turn heads this autumn with Tradition/Rebellion: Coming‑of‑Age Style in Kitakyushu, Japan, a new exhibition celebrating one of Japan’s most flamboyant fashion subcultures. Opening November 11 2026, the show brings the extraordinary style of Kitakyushu’s Coming‑of‑Age Ceremony to Kensington High Street, where platform sandals, fur‑trimmed kimono and gravity‑defying hair will…
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.
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The UK’s smallest pub is packing its bags for Japan, with The Nutshell from Bury St Edmunds being recreated inside an Osaka department store this October. For two weeks, a little piece of Suffolk will be making an unlikely appearance in Japan. The Nutshell, widely recognised as the UK’s smallest pub, is being recreated inside…
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Japan House London is set to turn heads this autumn with Tradition/Rebellion: Coming‑of‑Age Style in Kitakyushu, Japan, a new exhibition celebrating one of Japan’s most flamboyant fashion subcultures. Opening November 11 2026, the show brings the extraordinary style of Kitakyushu’s Coming‑of‑Age Ceremony to Kensington High Street, where platform sandals, fur‑trimmed kimono and gravity‑defying hair will…
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