Sake - Shochu

The rice is polished to remove the outer layers of the grain, until only the starch at its core remains. There are different levels to which the rice can be polished, known as the “polishing ratio”. The extent to which the rice is polished determines the style and flavour profile of the resulting sake, and how it will be classified.  

Sake is typically mildly flavoured with a very delicate acidity – much lower than you’d find in wine, resulting in a more subtle and muted flavour profile. However, the alcohol levels are fairly similar to those in wine, averaging at 15 – 16% ABV.  

Most sake is enjoyed within a year or two of bottling, though a special few can age exceptionally well, and are even sold En Primeur.