There a lots of beverage "categories" that wine professionals and writers need to follow to be thorough in our profession. Frankly, its impossible to be an "expert" on all of them. One that I have only recently begun investigating is Sake.

While Sake is most often enjoyed with Sushi in this country, it is often an excellent pairing to smoked, marinated, or barbecued meats as well as full flavored seafood dishes. You can also create special mixed drinks with Sake including a "Sparkling Ginger", "Sake Tini", and "Sake Sangria".

Some Americans think of Sake as heated shots dropped into pints of beer, but premium Sake is a wine product that even the most traditional wine aficionados can enjoy. Like fine wine, there is an extensive harvest and production process with the ultimate goal of creating a premium beverage with a true sense of terroir.

Like Europe's classification system, Sake too is categorized by quality levels - Futsu (akin to "table wine"), Junmai (like an Italian DOC) and Junmai Ginjo (like a DOCG). (There is also the ultra-premium Junmai Daiginjo classification, but this accounts for less than 3% of the world's Sake).

TYKU Sake Silver - Junmai ($15)

Crafted from rice polished so only 70% of the grain remains, TYKU Silver is fresh & slightly sweet, with subtle pear notes that leave a softness on the palate. The Junmai classification represents the top 15% of all sake in the world.

TYKU Sake Black - Junmai Ginjo ($25):

Crafted from rice polished so only 55% of the grain remains, TYKU Black offers a rich texture exhibiting hints of natural sweetness with peach and vanilla on the nose. Made from four natural ingredients, Black is a blend of Yamada Nishiki and Akebono rice, pristine iron-free water, famed #9 yeast, and handmade koji. The Junmai Ginjo classification represents the top 6% of all sake in the world.

I hope you enjoy your own investigation into the intriguing world of Sake. You can learn more about TYKU by visiting their web site at www.tykusake.com

http://www.vindy.com/users/photos/2017/jan/04/104851/