Blind Tasting 329 Types of Sake Over Two Days!

Before I knew it, it was 2011. Last year, too, I had many wonderful encounters through sake. Today, I'll share a precious experience: "Sake Sommelier Chizuko Tastes Sake in Hawaii!"

As I've mentioned before, there's an annual sake event held every autumn called "Joy of Sake" (hereafter, JOS), the largest of its kind in the US. Over 300 sakes submitted to this event are judged by five professional judges from Japan's leading breweries in the "National Sake Appraisal" and five sake sommeliers active in the US. The unique aspect of this appraisal is that it's called a "Joy" appraisal, not just an "Appraisal," allowing sake sommeliers who interact with general consumers in America to participate in the judging. This is a major feature.

I was honored to be invited to participate as one of the judges representing the East Coast! Last year's JOS was a memorable 10th anniversary, and the organizers from Kokusai Sake Kai seemed particularly moved. The lineup of judges was truly spectacular, a dream collaboration for any sake enthusiast! And to have it all take place in aloha-filled Hawaii made it all the more dreamlike.—Even now, as I write this, I wonder if it was all a dream.



The 2010 judging took place at the Hawaii Convention Center, with a total of 329 sakes blind-tasted over two days. It was incredibly intense, and I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tasting. The speed at which the brewing professionals tasted was astonishing... less than 10 seconds per sake, including tasting and note-taking. I was constantly falling behind.

Of course, with time limits, I resigned myself to doing things at my own pace, accepting that I was different from them. After tasting about 15 sakes, I started to find a rhythm. The aroma, the initial impact, the feel in the mouth, the lingering scent as it leaves the nose, and how the flavor fades... By the way, during judging, you only take a small sip and spit it into a 'tokki' (spittoon). Even so, you can get quite tipsy by the end.

Actually, I had previously served as an observer judge at the Iwate Prefecture New Sake Appraisal, recommended by "Nanbu Bijin." Perhaps thanks to that experience, I didn't panic this time.

All in all, despite the intense pressure of my first official judging experience as Sake Sommelier Chizuko, I had a truly wonderful time thanks to the esteemed judges around me!
http://www.joyofsake.jp/usnj.html



After these two days of judging concluded, it was time for the long-awaited "Joy of Sake Honolulu"! Held at the beautiful Honolulu Museum of Arts, the sakes we had judged were proudly displayed by the Kokusai Sake Kai staff, complete with gold and silver award labels.

The opening ceremony featured introductions of the judges and a traditional kagami-biraki (sake barrel breaking). The energy reached its peak with a stunning Ryukyuan dance and taiko performance by volunteers from the local Hawaiian community! I was moved to tears, holding hands with Jessica Jui, a sake sommelier representing the West Coast!

At the venue, JOS original logo sake cups were provided, but I brought my own "MY Ochoko" that I had designed. It's a small tasting cup with its own drawstring bag. You can hang it on your wrist and tuck it away when not in use, freeing up both hands. (Especially handy when eating standing up!).

The event also featured food booths from many popular restaurants representing Hawaii, and just walking around the venue, I was deeply impressed by the wonderful harmony of the tropical Hawaiian atmosphere and Japanese sake. What's more, many popular breweries had traveled from Japan, making it a dream world for sake enthusiasts! (If you compare it to baseball, it felt like enjoying drinks with Major League players?)

I had only experienced JOS in New York before, but Hawaii offered a completely different, even richer experience! Sake tasting in aloha-filled Hawaii. It was a precious memory I'll cherish for a lifetime! Hawaii is beloved by Japanese people. Beyond the beaches and shopping, why not consider planning a trip around "Joy of Sake Honolulu" this year? Ah, I want to go again!! Mahalo!!

SAKE DISCOVERIES
http://www.sakediscoveries.com/