We had such a fun evening hosting our first online sake taste-testing event with sake sommelier Robin from Sorakami!
Furoshiki bottle wraps are the perfect way to present and protect sake bottles, and so as an interlude we all joined in with a furoshiki kimono wrap! :)
Here is our photo diary of a great evening!
Robin, founder of Sorakami
Robin gave an engaging and thoroughly informative presentation!
He spoke about many interesting facets of sake brewing, explaining that sake is the national drink of Japan, and that it is sipped like a wine and is not a spirit or a shot!
We learned about types of premium sake, and the ingredients that go into making it: a special variety of rice; the purest water; a mould called koji which converts the rice starch into sugar; and yeasts which work on these sugars to create the alcohol.
Koji is also used in the process of making soy and miso:)
We learned about 'pure rice' sake (junmai), and sake where pure distilled alcohol is added (non-junmai).
We learned about the history of sake; the differing flavours of sake owing to climate and water quality, how sake can be enjoyed hot or cold, and how sake pairs with different foods around the world!
We enjoyed the sake taste-testing - kanpai!
Our sake taste-testing bottles were the Dasai Junmai Daiginjyo 45 (which had surprising tropical flavours such as pineapple and mango), and the Kimoto Junmai (which had creamy notes). They were both very delicious!
We filled our beautiful Japanese coloured glass sake cups with the delicious sake, but Robin advocates using a wineglass too, in order to really appreciate the aromatics!
The Interlude!
Having enjoyed a taste of the first sake, we wrapped our unopened bottle in a furoshiki kimono wrap!
Follow the slideshow to see how we made it!
Follow the slideshow to see how we made the kimono wrap!
I'm using a 48cm Isa Monyo furoshiki in Japanese Apricot Blue and Beige to wrap the small sake bottle, but if you would like to wrap a larger bottle, simply scale up the size of the furoshiki.
We are demonstrating three ways to prettily wrap your sake and wine bottle gifts in this photo.
The standard-size sake and wine bottles are wrapped in our Medium 70cm furoshiki.
Meadow Flowers in Bright Pink and Yellow is a Single Bottle Furoshiki Wrap (centre left).
Meadow Flowers in Vivid Blue and Orange is a Fluted Bottle Wrap (centre right).
You can find out how to make all of our Furoshiki Bottle Wraps here in our Furoshiki Tutorials! Do take a look - there really is no better way to gift a bottle!
We adore the Furoshiki Double Bottle Wrap! We often use it to transport refillable water bottles to picnics and camping trips and days out!
The fabric wraps itself around each bottle individually, which means that they are both protected, and the knotted handle makes this such a convenient and fun way to carry drinks to events! You even have something to sit on once you get there and unwrap them!
Cathy is enjoying herself here! :)
Thank you so much to our lovely friends who came along and learned more about the interesting processes and flavours of sake, and asked such interesting questions! Thank you for sending us your photos, which we are so pleased to show below - we're very impressed by your excellent furoshiki wrapping!
Daniel's stunning furoshiki wraps are our 48cm Ukiyoe Small Furoshiki Kajikazawa Inkai by Hokusai
All of the bottles rest on our gorgeous Medium Hare Tsutsumi Furoshiki in Diagonal Bicolour Red :)
Marialena's gorgeous kimono furoshiki bottle wrap!
Alex' beautiful furoshiki kimono wrap <3
We hope you have enjoyed reading our diary blog about our wonderful online event learning about sake!
We'd love you to join us at our next event, so please keep an eye out on our Events page for future events or sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of the page!
You might enjoy our blog which explores sake's role in Japanese history and culture, called Let's Learn about Sake! which you can read here!
If you would like us to host an online event for you, contact us!
Thank you for reading,
Cathy and Yukki
xx
Sake barrels at Kitano Tenmangu shrine in Kyoto