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Henry Thorogood

Sake, Wine & Spirits – Simplified

About Me

Truly passionate about sharing my love and understanding of wine, spirits, and sake, through clear and compelling communication.

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Combining a wide range of skills and experiences to provide project-based or retained consultancy services in the drinks space.

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Hear a little more about me from those businesses and people I have worked with.

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Japan Day ⑪ (PM) 🇯🇵 Miyazaki Honten 🥼following a delicious but damp tendon lunch where I managed to drop four cups of houjicha over myself, we headed to Miyazaki Honten, which — on the surface, at least — couldn’t have been more different from our morning visit 🍤 Miyazaki Honten 宮崎本店 was founded in 1846 in Kusuchō, a brewing town with then over 30 breweries. Over the years, however, Miyazaki acquired the others, meaning this is now a super-brewery of sorts, producing not only sake but also shochu, whiskey, and mirin, covering some 8,000 坪 tsubo (~2 tatami mats), or about 26,500sqm 🥾 today, the site includes protected buildings of cultural importance to sparkling, operationally-optimised breweries with all the mod-cons ✨ we first visited the busy rice polishing operation — this being one of the few (but anecdotally increasing) breweries to own their vertical rice polishing machines, giving them more levers to pull in terms of experimentation with the processing of raw rice product (though, 扁平・原型 henpei/genkei polishing is not possible, sadly, on the current machine) 🌾 it was particularly instructive to taste the 糠 nuka (rice polishings) from the different parts of the rice, each with a different character, nutritional content, and end use, from senbei to animal feed 🐮 leaving the rice polishing plant, we stopped by the pump to the water source — here of semi-soft quality (54 mg/L), drawn from 150m below the surface 🐳 the new brewery building we entered was positively awe-inspiring, with the perfect top-down layout (where rice moves from the top floor, down through the building, as brewing progresses), and a whole lot of stainless steel (but some wooden vessels too!) to keep clean 🪵 the koji room seemed particularly controlled, with some semi-automated processes for the 総破精麹sō-haze kōji, for their less fruity/floral sakes 💪🏼 all of the sakes here — under the 宮の雪 Miya-no-Yuki label — were faultlessly brewed, myself particularly enjoying the 山廃yamahai style (at the very lucid and delicate end of this typically savoury category) made with Mie local rice, 神の穂Kami-no-Ho ✌🏼after dinner, I introduced Laetitia to the mayhem of Donki 😆‼️

Japan Day ⑪ (PM) 🇯🇵 Miyazaki Honten 🥼following a delicious but damp tendon lunch where I managed to drop four cups of houjicha over myself, we headed to Miyazaki Honten, which — on the surface, at least — couldn’t have been more different from our morning visit 🍤 Miyazaki Honten 宮崎本店 was founded in 1846 in Kusuchō, a brewing town with then over 30 breweries. Over the years, however, Miyazaki acquired the others, meaning this is now a super-brewery of sorts, producing not only sake but also shochu, whiskey, and mirin, covering some 8,000 坪 tsubo (~2 tatami mats), or about 26,500sqm 🥾 today, the site includes protected buildings of cultural importance to sparkling, operationally-optimised breweries with all the mod-cons ✨ we first visited the busy rice polishing operation — this being one of the few (but anecdotally increasing) breweries to own their vertical rice polishing machines, giving them more levers to pull in terms of experimentation with the processing of raw rice product (though, 扁平・原型 henpei/genkei polishing is not possible, sadly, on the current machine) 🌾 it was particularly instructive to taste the 糠 nuka (rice polishings) from the different parts of the rice, each with a different character, nutritional content, and end use, from senbei to animal feed 🐮 leaving the rice polishing plant, we stopped by the pump to the water source — here of semi-soft quality (54 mg/L), drawn from 150m below the surface 🐳 the new brewery building we entered was positively awe-inspiring, with the perfect top-down layout (where rice moves from the top floor, down through the building, as brewing progresses), and a whole lot of stainless steel (but some wooden vessels too!) to keep clean 🪵 the koji room seemed particularly controlled, with some semi-automated processes for the 総破精麹sō-haze kōji, for their less fruity/floral sakes 💪🏼 all of the sakes here — under the 宮の雪 Miya-no-Yuki label — were faultlessly brewed, myself particularly enjoying the 山廃yamahai style (at the very lucid and delicate end of this typically savoury category) made with Mie local rice, 神の穂Kami-no-Ho ✌🏼after dinner, I introduced Laetitia to the mayhem of Donki 😆‼️

Japan Day ⑪ (AM) 🇯🇵 Takahashi Shuzō 🌳 it was snowing when I woke up, meaning I knew I needed at least four layers for a brewery visit, so I wrapped up warm, reminiscent of a marshmallow dyed navy blue ☁️ it was truly a privilege to visit Takahashi Shuzo, a brewery founded in 1862, located along the ancient Tōkaidō, the route established under the Tokugawa Shogunate between the Imperial capital Kyōto and the centre of power Edo (today’s Tōkyō) 🏯 we were met by Nobuyuki-san, the sixth generation president of the brewery, and sole brewer 💪🏼 perhaps tellingly, we entered the brewery under a sign reading 神酒三重の新嘗, speaking to their connection to brewing for sacred purposes — in this case doburoku, made in 2000L 木桶 kioke (wooden barrels), requiring me to ascend onto a nearby bottle recycling crate to peer inside at the persimmon tannin-stained staves 📦 we heard a little bit about his doburoku, and relatedly his nigori — us tasting the latter, which had an exceptionally soft mouthfeel 🍚 Nobuyuki-san explained that this plush impression was achieved though steaming the spent koji from making mizu-koji a second time and introducing this to the moromi, making said rice solids extremely soft and I suppose then dissolving well in the sake 🍶 the rice solids are also never removed from the sake, ensuring their full integration into the beverage 🌫️ what I really appreciated about this visit was seeing the small adjustments made in the brewery to make it work for a single brewer — from choice investments in key commonplace machinery, to custom innovations to help workflows and save on costs — a rotatable rice steamer (enabling shovelling of steamed grains to be performed from a single position) and a height adjustable platform (for moving crates of freshly pasteurised bottles) were simple but ingenious ways to avoid straining the knees and back 🦵🏼 Nobuyuki-san’s thoughtful approach paid off with some fantastic brews: if you’re in Japan, seek out 伊勢の白酒 Ise no Shiroki, the brewery’s nama-nigori: energetic and petillant with a round, plush texture, with notes of apple compote, banana pudding, and icing sugar 🫧🍏🍌🍬 perfect to go with a Galette de Rois, we thought! 👑

Japan Day ⑪ (AM) 🇯🇵 Takahashi Shuzō 🌳 it was snowing when I woke up, meaning I knew I needed at least four layers for a brewery visit, so I wrapped up warm, reminiscent of a marshmallow dyed navy blue ☁️ it was truly a privilege to visit Takahashi Shuzo, a brewery founded in 1862, located along the ancient Tōkaidō, the route established under the Tokugawa Shogunate between the Imperial capital Kyōto and the centre of power Edo (today’s Tōkyō) 🏯 we were met by Nobuyuki-san, the sixth generation president of the brewery, and sole brewer 💪🏼 perhaps tellingly, we entered the brewery under a sign reading 神酒三重の新嘗, speaking to their connection to brewing for sacred purposes — in this case doburoku, made in 2000L 木桶 kioke (wooden barrels), requiring me to ascend onto a nearby bottle recycling crate to peer inside at the persimmon tannin-stained staves 📦 we heard a little bit about his doburoku, and relatedly his nigori — us tasting the latter, which had an exceptionally soft mouthfeel 🍚 Nobuyuki-san explained that this plush impression was achieved though steaming the spent koji from making mizu-koji a second time and introducing this to the moromi, making said rice solids extremely soft and I suppose then dissolving well in the sake 🍶 the rice solids are also never removed from the sake, ensuring their full integration into the beverage 🌫️ what I really appreciated about this visit was seeing the small adjustments made in the brewery to make it work for a single brewer — from choice investments in key commonplace machinery, to custom innovations to help workflows and save on costs — a rotatable rice steamer (enabling shovelling of steamed grains to be performed from a single position) and a height adjustable platform (for moving crates of freshly pasteurised bottles) were simple but ingenious ways to avoid straining the knees and back 🦵🏼 Nobuyuki-san’s thoughtful approach paid off with some fantastic brews: if you’re in Japan, seek out 伊勢の白酒 Ise no Shiroki, the brewery’s nama-nigori: energetic and petillant with a round, plush texture, with notes of apple compote, banana pudding, and icing sugar 🫧🍏🍌🍬 perfect to go with a Galette de Rois, we thought! 👑

Japan Day ⑩ (PM) 🇯🇵 Gotō Shuzōjō 🏞️ we drove a little way over to Akao, in Kuwana, for our second brewery visit of the day — to be met by the imposing chimney at Gotō Shuzōjō 💨 this is technically one of Mie’s younger breweries, founded in 1917 in it’s present guise, though the brewery itself likely has history stretching back hundreds of years, with this particular pocket of the prefecture having ties to early sake advocate Emperor Tenmu (b. 631-d. 636) 🎎 today, in any case, the brewery makes sake in a variety of styles, from a restrained classic junmai, and luscious, savoury yamahai, to an expressive and ethereal junmai daiginjo, and a deeply complex koshu 💗 the production here — during the winter months of October to early April — is pretty small batch these days, with much of the sake, under the Seiun / Hayate labels, being fruity (using modern yeasts) and/or fresh, herbal styles (that I typically associate with the earlier, reliable fermenting yeasts) 🍎🌿 I loved hearing from President and toji Gotō-san in particular about his yamahai yeast starter (where natural lactic acid bacteria produce the necessary lactic acid to foster strong yeast growth versus simply adding this in), which seemed like a real labour of love compared to the standard sokujō-moto 🦠 he uses the same stirring tools for multiple batches running at once, spreading microorganisms between the tanks to achieve consistency, inspired by the kai (wooden poles) used in the kimoto method! 🏑 the tasting was extremely instructive, showing how varied a single brewery (with few team members) can be while maintaining quality ✨ look out in particular for the Hayate Junmai Ginjo made with the local Kami-no-Ho rice variety, which for me had a precise tasting note of strawberry daifuku 🍓🍡 I left the tasting happy, if a little tired — but it was straight to dinner! To welcome Laetitia to Mie, some of the brewers involved in the project joined the team on the ground in a luxurious dinner of sukiyaki, made with the prefecture’s renowned Matsusaka beef 🐄 Yoshinoya this was not! 🥩🥚💫

Japan Day ⑩ (PM) 🇯🇵 Gotō Shuzōjō 🏞️ we drove a little way over to Akao, in Kuwana, for our second brewery visit of the day — to be met by the imposing chimney at Gotō Shuzōjō 💨 this is technically one of Mie’s younger breweries, founded in 1917 in it’s present guise, though the brewery itself likely has history stretching back hundreds of years, with this particular pocket of the prefecture having ties to early sake advocate Emperor Tenmu (b. 631-d. 636) 🎎 today, in any case, the brewery makes sake in a variety of styles, from a restrained classic junmai, and luscious, savoury yamahai, to an expressive and ethereal junmai daiginjo, and a deeply complex koshu 💗 the production here — during the winter months of October to early April — is pretty small batch these days, with much of the sake, under the Seiun / Hayate labels, being fruity (using modern yeasts) and/or fresh, herbal styles (that I typically associate with the earlier, reliable fermenting yeasts) 🍎🌿 I loved hearing from President and toji Gotō-san in particular about his yamahai yeast starter (where natural lactic acid bacteria produce the necessary lactic acid to foster strong yeast growth versus simply adding this in), which seemed like a real labour of love compared to the standard sokujō-moto 🦠 he uses the same stirring tools for multiple batches running at once, spreading microorganisms between the tanks to achieve consistency, inspired by the kai (wooden poles) used in the kimoto method! 🏑 the tasting was extremely instructive, showing how varied a single brewery (with few team members) can be while maintaining quality ✨ look out in particular for the Hayate Junmai Ginjo made with the local Kami-no-Ho rice variety, which for me had a precise tasting note of strawberry daifuku 🍓🍡 I left the tasting happy, if a little tired — but it was straight to dinner! To welcome Laetitia to Mie, some of the brewers involved in the project joined the team on the ground in a luxurious dinner of sukiyaki, made with the prefecture’s renowned Matsusaka beef 🐄 Yoshinoya this was not! 🥩🥚💫

Japan Day ⑨ 🇯🇵 A Day on the Train 🚅 Another light day for photographic opportunities — or, perhaps my photographer’s eye was shut 👁️ I woke up early at Haneda Airport, my room completely dark due to the blackout blinds but hiding the sunrise 🌅 I was most glad to see Laetitia @lesvinsdelena again — who has flown over from Paris for the project — after meeting her last year, when introducing Zaku to some of her sommelerie students at the Lycée Albert de Mun 🍷 this again this means I am operating between English, French, and Japanese (I literally just typed out Japonese, which succinctly demonstrates the success of this experiment), and always makes for an exciting time of misunderstandings and me getting the joke a little bit late, but for the most part I make it work 😂 Thankfully, we have Martin too @martinsima1 — a kurabito working in the brewery at Zaku, and who previously studied in France — to do some of the heavy-translation-lifting, though I’ll still try to use the week to improve both of these second and third languages 🧠 In any case, it being Laetitia’s first time in Japan, I guided us leisurely from Tokyo back to Mie , happily providing light cultural commentary as we went 🚞 boarding the Shinkansen at Shinagawa, we were treated to a mystical view of Fuji-san shortly after departure, though when passing through the more famous viewing spot in Shizuoka, the cloud cover somehow made this massive mountain look pancake-flat 🥞 At Nagoya Station, we grabbed some ramen for lunch, myself opting for a non-local speciality — Sapporo’s butter corn miso variant, making me think of my happy visit to my friend Rob a couple of years back, who took us into a very promising-looking steamy alleyway (!) during the just-thawing Hokkaido winter, looking for a warming bowl the same 💨 After skipping over to Kuwana, where our tour of Mie begins tomorrow, and dropping our bags at the hotel, I enjoyed a moment of calming beep-boops that characterise the Japanese cityscape 🐦 We were picked up at Shiroko by Masae, us passing a gym (apparently a large chain, following research) with an unforgettably cute name 🍫⚡️a productive meeting, I’m ready for the tour, and bed

Japan Day ⑨ 🇯🇵 A Day on the Train 🚅 Another light day for photographic opportunities — or, perhaps my photographer’s eye was shut 👁️ I woke up early at Haneda Airport, my room completely dark due to the blackout blinds but hiding the sunrise 🌅 I was most glad to see Laetitia @lesvinsdelena again — who has flown over from Paris for the project — after meeting her last year, when introducing Zaku to some of her sommelerie students at the Lycée Albert de Mun 🍷 this again this means I am operating between English, French, and Japanese (I literally just typed out Japonese, which succinctly demonstrates the success of this experiment), and always makes for an exciting time of misunderstandings and me getting the joke a little bit late, but for the most part I make it work 😂 Thankfully, we have Martin too @martinsima1 — a kurabito working in the brewery at Zaku, and who previously studied in France — to do some of the heavy-translation-lifting, though I’ll still try to use the week to improve both of these second and third languages 🧠 In any case, it being Laetitia’s first time in Japan, I guided us leisurely from Tokyo back to Mie , happily providing light cultural commentary as we went 🚞 boarding the Shinkansen at Shinagawa, we were treated to a mystical view of Fuji-san shortly after departure, though when passing through the more famous viewing spot in Shizuoka, the cloud cover somehow made this massive mountain look pancake-flat 🥞 At Nagoya Station, we grabbed some ramen for lunch, myself opting for a non-local speciality — Sapporo’s butter corn miso variant, making me think of my happy visit to my friend Rob a couple of years back, who took us into a very promising-looking steamy alleyway (!) during the just-thawing Hokkaido winter, looking for a warming bowl the same 💨 After skipping over to Kuwana, where our tour of Mie begins tomorrow, and dropping our bags at the hotel, I enjoyed a moment of calming beep-boops that characterise the Japanese cityscape 🐦 We were picked up at Shiroko by Masae, us passing a gym (apparently a large chain, following research) with an unforgettably cute name 🍫⚡️a productive meeting, I’m ready for the tour, and bed

Japan Days ⑦＆⑧ 🇯🇵 The Calm before the Storm 😴 I purposefully took very few photos over the past couple of days, as I’ve been a) resting up, recovering from a slight cold; and b) doing some light preparations for the intense 10 or so days that lie ahead 🏃🏻‍♂️ I’ll be visiting some some 16 breweries in Mie Prefecture as part of a small team to understand and record their individual characteristics, history, and philosophy, and so on — and, of course, taste their sake too 🍶 I’m at a Haneda Airport hotel tonight, welcoming one of said team members to Japan tomorrow morning, and will escort them over to Mie, where the work will get underway! 💛 I’m excited for the learnings the next week will hold, but I’m sure it will take some reflection afterwards to connect the dots 💬 Notable moments from these needed lazy days were this giant Fuji Apple (sweet and apple-y!) eaten in the apartment I’m borrowing near to the brewery, and the golden landscape of the harvest taken, as seen from the train 🌾 I’ll head to the onsen now for a soak, and then an early bed, I think 🛏️

Japan Days ⑦＆⑧ 🇯🇵 The Calm before the Storm 😴 I purposefully took very few photos over the past couple of days, as I’ve been a) resting up, recovering from a slight cold; and b) doing some light preparations for the intense 10 or so days that lie ahead 🏃🏻‍♂️ I’ll be visiting some some 16 breweries in Mie Prefecture as part of a small team to understand and record their individual characteristics, history, and philosophy, and so on — and, of course, taste their sake too 🍶 I’m at a Haneda Airport hotel tonight, welcoming one of said team members to Japan tomorrow morning, and will escort them over to Mie, where the work will get underway! 💛 I’m excited for the learnings the next week will hold, but I’m sure it will take some reflection afterwards to connect the dots 💬 Notable moments from these needed lazy days were this giant Fuji Apple (sweet and apple-y!) eaten in the apartment I’m borrowing near to the brewery, and the golden landscape of the harvest taken, as seen from the train 🌾 I’ll head to the onsen now for a soak, and then an early bed, I think 🛏️

Japan Day ③ 🇯🇵 A Day of Contemplation 🍱 Well, here we are: 2025! 明けましておめでとうございます🎊 I asked my hosts last night, during the build-up to midnight, if anyone had any New Year’s Resolutions. Nothing in particular, the answer came back (possibly because I didn’t explain the concept of a resolution too well). What about me, they enquired? I didn’t really set one myself, though, I did say I wanted to learn more about cheese — this being an area which could very lightly support professional growth (and, er, eating cheese) without being something I feel I need to strive for, either 🧀 the day began with the traditional 御節料理 o-sechi ryōri, each food in this treasure chest possessing some kind of symbolism for New Year’s wishes: 黒豆 kuro-mame (black beans) for health 🫘 the local 伊勢海老 Ise ebi (spiny lobster) for long life with its curved back and long, beardy fronds 🦞 田作り tazukuri (little dried sardines cooked in soy) for an abundant harvest, these fish apparently formerly used to fertilise the paddies 🌾 the sake was served in a beautiful 銚子 chōshi (decanter / teapot for sake) with matching 盃 sakazuki (shallow saucers) adorned with the traditional trio of motifs of 松竹梅 shōchikubai (pine-bamboo-plum), again symbolic of good fortune and congratulations ㊗️ the four of us barely made a dent in the o-sechi, so it returned later in the day around dinner time (and the next day’s meals too it would turn out!), not wishing to waste anything whatsoever ✨ clearing up after breakfast, the Shimizus received some visitors, and I played a little with Monaka-chan — it was a gentle day, each person doing their own thing, but together. We came back together over the hibachi, grilling the mochi, dipping it in tamari, grilling it some more, and eating between two sheets of new nori — all the while drinking tea, sharing stories about our families and cultures, how much has changed and how much stays the same… the evening was spent chatting more, taking a late bath, and video-calling Patrick back in Sussex; there was something about the way he was smiling, or maybe the way I was feeling speaking to him, that reminded me of the happy cat in Renoir’s portrait of Julie Manet 🐾🧶💗

Japan Day ③ 🇯🇵 A Day of Contemplation 🍱 Well, here we are: 2025! 明けましておめでとうございます🎊 I asked my hosts last night, during the build-up to midnight, if anyone had any New Year’s Resolutions. Nothing in particular, the answer came back (possibly because I didn’t explain the concept of a resolution too well). What about me, they enquired? I didn’t really set one myself, though, I did say I wanted to learn more about cheese — this being an area which could very lightly support professional growth (and, er, eating cheese) without being something I feel I need to strive for, either 🧀 the day began with the traditional 御節料理 o-sechi ryōri, each food in this treasure chest possessing some kind of symbolism for New Year’s wishes: 黒豆 kuro-mame (black beans) for health 🫘 the local 伊勢海老 Ise ebi (spiny lobster) for long life with its curved back and long, beardy fronds 🦞 田作り tazukuri (little dried sardines cooked in soy) for an abundant harvest, these fish apparently formerly used to fertilise the paddies 🌾 the sake was served in a beautiful 銚子 chōshi (decanter / teapot for sake) with matching 盃 sakazuki (shallow saucers) adorned with the traditional trio of motifs of 松竹梅 shōchikubai (pine-bamboo-plum), again symbolic of good fortune and congratulations ㊗️ the four of us barely made a dent in the o-sechi, so it returned later in the day around dinner time (and the next day’s meals too it would turn out!), not wishing to waste anything whatsoever ✨ clearing up after breakfast, the Shimizus received some visitors, and I played a little with Monaka-chan — it was a gentle day, each person doing their own thing, but together. We came back together over the hibachi, grilling the mochi, dipping it in tamari, grilling it some more, and eating between two sheets of new nori — all the while drinking tea, sharing stories about our families and cultures, how much has changed and how much stays the same… the evening was spent chatting more, taking a late bath, and video-calling Patrick back in Sussex; there was something about the way he was smiling, or maybe the way I was feeling speaking to him, that reminded me of the happy cat in Renoir’s portrait of Julie Manet 🐾🧶💗

Japan Days ①＆② 🇯🇵 Another Adventure; Another Year🎍Mount Fuji is often hidden among the clouds or fog when viewed from Tokyo, but this time, they gave me a splendid welcome on the approach to Haneda — snow-capped at sunset, no less 🗻 I made my way towards my brewery’s home prefecture of Mie, arriving late, and managed to sleep a good amount despite the time difference. I did a little work, went on a walk in the sun to try and bust the jet lag, and enjoyed much of the 演歌 enka (a genre of sentimental traditional-ish Japanese music, set in the pentatonic scale, with extravagantly styled artists) which was filling the afternoon slot on NHK 🎶 I spent the evening with the brewery President and his family at their home, of course sampling the new season’s brew with the evening meal 🌾 we made our 初詣 Hatsumōde (first shrine visit) shortly after midnight, my 御神籤 omikuji (fortune) largely vague on details, but promising healing — so I’ve hung onto it 🔮 Monaka-chan, who herself recovered from surgery just last week, welcomed us back to the house enthusiastically, tail wagging, not sitting still long enough for a good photo 💛 in the same vein, I hope that 2025 brings much health and happiness to you all, and perhaps we can find some of Monaka-chan’s joy along the way too! I’m naturally missing many people who I’m not with tonight, but I’m so warmed by the welcome I’ve received in this special corner of Japan 🗾

Japan Days ①＆② 🇯🇵 Another Adventure; Another Year🎍Mount Fuji is often hidden among the clouds or fog when viewed from Tokyo, but this time, they gave me a splendid welcome on the approach to Haneda — snow-capped at sunset, no less 🗻 I made my way towards my brewery’s home prefecture of Mie, arriving late, and managed to sleep a good amount despite the time difference. I did a little work, went on a walk in the sun to try and bust the jet lag, and enjoyed much of the 演歌 enka (a genre of sentimental traditional-ish Japanese music, set in the pentatonic scale, with extravagantly styled artists) which was filling the afternoon slot on NHK 🎶 I spent the evening with the brewery President and his family at their home, of course sampling the new season’s brew with the evening meal 🌾 we made our 初詣 Hatsumōde (first shrine visit) shortly after midnight, my 御神籤 omikuji (fortune) largely vague on details, but promising healing — so I’ve hung onto it 🔮 Monaka-chan, who herself recovered from surgery just last week, welcomed us back to the house enthusiastically, tail wagging, not sitting still long enough for a good photo 💛 in the same vein, I hope that 2025 brings much health and happiness to you all, and perhaps we can find some of Monaka-chan’s joy along the way too! I’m naturally missing many people who I’m not with tonight, but I’m so warmed by the welcome I’ve received in this special corner of Japan 🗾

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without some sake — some perfect choices, here as an aperitif or paired to a variety of canapés 💛🍶🌾
🎄 クリスマスといったら、やっぱり日本酒！
① Zaku Monad, always perfection as an aperitif! アペリチとして作モナドが完璧👌🏼 @zaku.seizaburo
② A sparkling, refreshing moment by the fire with Sake Hundred 🔥 暖炉の周りにSAKE HUNDRED深星、スッキリ🫧 @sakehundred @sakehundred_jp
③ The light spice of Kiminoi Honjozo with mince pies was superb 🥧 君の井　本醸造　の静かなスパイスの味とミンスパイ、美味しい〜 @kiminoi.myoko
④ Caramel tones and umami of @chikusen.kuramoto Kimoto-shikomi JunGi Kou-no-Tori matching the meaty, herbal Tête de Moine 😍　濃い旨みとキャラメルのイメージがある竹泉幸の鳥はフランスからサラミとハーブの香りがあるテット・ド・モワンヌと合う❗️
⑤ The ever elegant @urakasumi_sake (here Kioke Kimoto Junmai) dances beautifully with smoked salmon and cream cheese blini ✨ 浦霞木桶生酛純米はスモークサーモンとクリームチーズブリニ、最高💫
⑥ Bath Blue collides beautifully against the lusciously sweet but surely complex Katsuyama GEN 🧀 @katsuyamasake 爆発みたいなペアリング、バースブルーというチーズと甘くて複雑な勝山元💥
All of this — apart from a reminder to you to drink more sake — apt preparation for my imminent trip to Japan, for the next month or so ✈️ stay tuned for (I hope, energy willing!) my daily diary of adventures, this time through a significant cross section of breweries in my much beloved prefecture of Mie 🗾

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without some sake — some perfect choices, here as an aperitif or paired to a variety of canapés 💛🍶🌾
🎄 クリスマスといったら、やっぱり日本酒！
① Zaku Monad, always perfection as an aperitif! アペリチとして作モナドが完璧👌🏼 @zaku.seizaburo
② A sparkling, refreshing moment by the fire with Sake Hundred 🔥 暖炉の周りにSAKE HUNDRED深星、スッキリ🫧 @sakehundred @sakehundred_jp
③ The light spice of Kiminoi Honjozo with mince pies was superb 🥧 君の井　本醸造　の静かなスパイスの味とミンスパイ、美味しい〜 @kiminoi.myoko
④ Caramel tones and umami of @chikusen.kuramoto Kimoto-shikomi JunGi Kou-no-Tori matching the meaty, herbal Tête de Moine 😍　濃い旨みとキャラメルのイメージがある竹泉幸の鳥はフランスからサラミとハーブの香りがあるテット・ド・モワンヌと合う❗️
⑤ The ever elegant @urakasumi_sake (here Kioke Kimoto Junmai) dances beautifully with smoked salmon and cream cheese blini ✨ 浦霞木桶生酛純米はスモークサーモンとクリームチーズブリニ、最高💫
⑥ Bath Blue collides beautifully against the lusciously sweet but surely complex Katsuyama GEN 🧀 @katsuyamasake 爆発みたいなペアリング、バースブルーというチーズと甘くて複雑な勝山元💥
All of this — apart from a reminder to you to drink more sake — apt preparation for my imminent trip to Japan, for the next month or so ✈️ stay tuned for (I hope, energy willing!) my daily diary of adventures, this time through a significant cross section of breweries in my much beloved prefecture of Mie 🗾

🎓 Another achievement! 📚
I just received my certificate & pin for the JSA Sake Diploma, meaning (I think) I have exhausted the major & advanced sake qualifications, for now at least? With this accolade, the Sake Scholar Course (thanks to @mtrsake), and the @wsetglobal Level 3 in Sake, I think my learning is fairly broad, and hopefully deep! 🧠
I suppose this is fitting for a sake educator and judge. Of course, there is always more learning beyond the textbooks, but being someone who is urged on by the promise of a piece of paper and badge, the question of “what next?” is somewhat open… 🔮
The International variant of the JSA Sake Diploma is a challenging exam in a few regards. It covers both sake and shochu in depth, but especially sake. The textbook is a tome, covering in particular sake production in painstaking detail, alongside a considerable treatment of sake rice varieties / shochu raw material and their characteristics, notable regional characteristics to riziculture and brewing, and key historical developments within sake and shochu, be they cultural, legal, or technological 🌾
The exam is in 3 parts: a short answer paper, an “essay” paper, and the tasting. The greatest obstacle is the short answer paper, with anything found in the book (however obscure, or buried in a chart, or footnote!) fair game. There’s really nowhere to hide here 😮‍💨
The next challenge was approaching the tasting paper, which deconstructs the organoleptic experience in very different framework to WSET. Aromas might be described as “gorgeous” or “refreshing”, the balance as “fine” or “compact”. This is fitting, being an exam set by a sommelier body, so imagery is key to communicating with many guests. Nevertheless, much brain rewiring was needed, the class needling our instructor @toshio_sakesamurai on the nuances of this tasting approach; our apologies 😅🙇🏻‍♂️
The “essay” paper (2x10 min pieces) happened to be straightforward, but could equally prove tough 📝
I’m proud of these two little pins🙂 The WSET Diploma in Wines took far longer (2 years vs 3 months!), but, somehow, both are emotionally as important as the other—a privilege to be no.378 to have passed this exam!

🎓 Another achievement! 📚
I just received my certificate & pin for the JSA Sake Diploma, meaning (I think) I have exhausted the major & advanced sake qualifications, for now at least? With this accolade, the Sake Scholar Course (thanks to @mtrsake), and the @wsetglobal Level 3 in Sake, I think my learning is fairly broad, and hopefully deep! 🧠
I suppose this is fitting for a sake educator and judge. Of course, there is always more learning beyond the textbooks, but being someone who is urged on by the promise of a piece of paper and badge, the question of “what next?” is somewhat open… 🔮
The International variant of the JSA Sake Diploma is a challenging exam in a few regards. It covers both sake and shochu in depth, but especially sake. The textbook is a tome, covering in particular sake production in painstaking detail, alongside a considerable treatment of sake rice varieties / shochu raw material and their characteristics, notable regional characteristics to riziculture and brewing, and key historical developments within sake and shochu, be they cultural, legal, or technological 🌾
The exam is in 3 parts: a short answer paper, an “essay” paper, and the tasting. The greatest obstacle is the short answer paper, with anything found in the book (however obscure, or buried in a chart, or footnote!) fair game. There’s really nowhere to hide here 😮‍💨
The next challenge was approaching the tasting paper, which deconstructs the organoleptic experience in very different framework to WSET. Aromas might be described as “gorgeous” or “refreshing”, the balance as “fine” or “compact”. This is fitting, being an exam set by a sommelier body, so imagery is key to communicating with many guests. Nevertheless, much brain rewiring was needed, the class needling our instructor @toshio_sakesamurai on the nuances of this tasting approach; our apologies 😅🙇🏻‍♂️
The “essay” paper (2x10 min pieces) happened to be straightforward, but could equally prove tough 📝
I’m proud of these two little pins🙂 The WSET Diploma in Wines took far longer (2 years vs 3 months!), but, somehow, both are emotionally as important as the other—a privilege to be no.378 to have passed this exam!

And thank you now, to Poland! 🤍🇵🇱❤️ Stopping briefly in Warsaw, supporting @zaku.seizaburo and @japansakeshochu_en at the Warsaw Wine Experience @warsaw_wine_experience — converting more than just a few members of the trade and public to the joys of sake 💫🍶🥰 Much delicious fare — largely in the form of Pierogi, Beef Tartare, and a variety of Polish (and other!) wines and spirits — and Chopin-related culture was enjoyed 🎶🥟🍷 Na Zdrowie! 🥂

And thank you now, to Poland! 🤍🇵🇱❤️ Stopping briefly in Warsaw, supporting @zaku.seizaburo and @japansakeshochu_en at the Warsaw Wine Experience @warsaw_wine_experience — converting more than just a few members of the trade and public to the joys of sake 💫🍶🥰 Much delicious fare — largely in the form of Pierogi, Beef Tartare, and a variety of Polish (and other!) wines and spirits — and Chopin-related culture was enjoyed 🎶🥟🍷 Na Zdrowie! 🥂

Thanks Serbia!! 💙🇷🇸❤️ what a blast spreading the sake word here at the @asisomms_ Best Sommelier of Europe, Africa and Middle East finals — probably one of the most nail biting experiences I’ve had this year was watching the top three sommeliers battle it out in the grand final, serving wine and sake to a table of guests, blind tasting dry reds, sweet whites, and barrel proof cognacs, amongst other tasks🍷it was a true pleasure to attend with the @zaku.seizaburo team, very lightly supporting @japansakeshochu_en’s long partnership with the ASI, with @hiromi3iuchi and @mtrsake spearheading efforts here 💫🍶💫 sake aside, I ate (a lot of) pljeskavica and avjar, drank a fair amount of Serbian wine (some delicious stuff, especially in the orange category), saw some stunning mosaics, and made the most of the hotel’s sauna ✨ now — onto Warsaw!

Thanks Serbia!! 💙🇷🇸❤️ what a blast spreading the sake word here at the @asisomms_ Best Sommelier of Europe, Africa and Middle East finals — probably one of the most nail biting experiences I’ve had this year was watching the top three sommeliers battle it out in the grand final, serving wine and sake to a table of guests, blind tasting dry reds, sweet whites, and barrel proof cognacs, amongst other tasks🍷it was a true pleasure to attend with the @zaku.seizaburo team, very lightly supporting @japansakeshochu_en’s long partnership with the ASI, with @hiromi3iuchi and @mtrsake spearheading efforts here 💫🍶💫 sake aside, I ate (a lot of) pljeskavica and avjar, drank a fair amount of Serbian wine (some delicious stuff, especially in the orange category), saw some stunning mosaics, and made the most of the hotel’s sauna ✨ now — onto Warsaw!

Behind the Glamour: Vagabond Harvest 2024 (Pinot Noir & Chardonnay) 💁🏻‍♂️🍇✨

Behind the Glamour: Vagabond Harvest 2024 (Pinot Noir & Chardonnay) 💁🏻‍♂️🍇✨

🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️ I made it!!! 🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️
A final 8k today took me over the line for my 100km target for September — with 100.5km achieved over the month of “full” running 💛 Happily, I’ve raised — at the time of writing —
£191 on Facebook,
£92 on JustGiving,
and just shy of £50 on Instagram 💛 thank you to all of you who supported, both financially and emotionally 🙏🏼 I’ll leave the fundraiser open a while longer, should you wish to contribute now the challenge has been realised!!

💭 Some notes (I think learnings is probably a bit grand here):
- It’s so much easier to run when there’s just one small charitable donation to keep you accountable! So, if you’d like any sponsorship for your future physical challenges, please let me know! I’ll gladly give that first little boost 💸
- I left about 12km on the table over the month, in warmups and cooldowns (10 minutes total per session, at 6kph), so I could maybe claim 112.5km overall? But, in any case, it was over 100km! 📈
- Treadmill running is easier than road running, as you do get dragged along very slightly on the belt. So, all of my runs were done at inclines of 1%-4% (the sweatier the photo, the higher the incline!), to account for this difference 🧗‍♂️
- While I wouldn’t describe myself as a runner (I find any excuse not to run, which is easy with the changeable British weather) — I am not exactly new to running either. But, I have seldom (countable on two hands?) run anything over 6km in the past decade, and almost all of my runs were 7km plus over the month — so this was a significant undertaking for me 💪🏼 I’m glad that my impulsive self took the challenge, and I hope I’ll continue with some of this momentum going forwards… 💨💨
- … equally, however, I think my knees deserve a week or two’s rest 😴😂 so just low impact fitness for the next bit, I think, before putting my running shoes on once again 👟

Once again, thank you! — I’m excited for the next little challenge, even if I don’t know exactly what it will be yet… 💗 H xx

🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️ I made it!!! 🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️
A final 8k today took me over the line for my 100km target for September — with 100.5km achieved over the month of “full” running 💛 Happily, I’ve raised — at the time of writing —
£191 on Facebook,
£92 on JustGiving,
and just shy of £50 on Instagram 💛 thank you to all of you who supported, both financially and emotionally 🙏🏼 I’ll leave the fundraiser open a while longer, should you wish to contribute now the challenge has been realised!!

💭 Some notes (I think learnings is probably a bit grand here):
- It’s so much easier to run when there’s just one small charitable donation to keep you accountable! So, if you’d like any sponsorship for your future physical challenges, please let me know! I’ll gladly give that first little boost 💸
- I left about 12km on the table over the month, in warmups and cooldowns (10 minutes total per session, at 6kph), so I could maybe claim 112.5km overall? But, in any case, it was over 100km! 📈
- Treadmill running is easier than road running, as you do get dragged along very slightly on the belt. So, all of my runs were done at inclines of 1%-4% (the sweatier the photo, the higher the incline!), to account for this difference 🧗‍♂️
- While I wouldn’t describe myself as a runner (I find any excuse not to run, which is easy with the changeable British weather) — I am not exactly new to running either. But, I have seldom (countable on two hands?) run anything over 6km in the past decade, and almost all of my runs were 7km plus over the month — so this was a significant undertaking for me 💪🏼 I’m glad that my impulsive self took the challenge, and I hope I’ll continue with some of this momentum going forwards… 💨💨
- … equally, however, I think my knees deserve a week or two’s rest 😴😂 so just low impact fitness for the next bit, I think, before putting my running shoes on once again 👟

Once again, thank you! — I’m excited for the next little challenge, even if I don’t know exactly what it will be yet… 💗 H xx

In break from usual programming… I’m running a lot this month — for me, at least! — and today’s 10k run took me over the halfway point of my goal: 58km of 100km, over the month of September 🥹 I had a fairly long working week, much spent on my feet, so I was doing a little less running that I wanted with two double rest days 😌 so I upped the distance today to give me a bit more leeway in the second half 🏃🏻‍♂️ a good run today — 10k in 57 minutes flat, keeping my heart rate on the boundary between where I think my Zone 3 (tempo pace) and my Zone 4 (lactate threshold) lie, so I knew I should basically be able to last an hour or so at whatever pace my body felt like going 😅 there were sticky points where I wasn’t feeling it, but a gym motivation playlist I found on Spotify — full of pacy electro-pop — kept me going to the end 🎶 I’m running for Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity — a fantastic children’s hospital here in London — so if you are able and wish to do so, please do donate; your contributions so far have kept me accountable 😂 you can do so on this post, head over to JustGiving and search for ‘Henry Thorogood’, or if you’re a Facebook friend, there’s a fundraiser there too 💛 I promise I won’t post too many more photos of me drenched in sweat, and really appreciate your support — monetary or sentimental! — so thank you 💗 With much, much love — H

In break from usual programming… I’m running a lot this month — for me, at least! — and today’s 10k run took me over the halfway point of my goal: 58km of 100km, over the month of September 🥹 I had a fairly long working week, much spent on my feet, so I was doing a little less running that I wanted with two double rest days 😌 so I upped the distance today to give me a bit more leeway in the second half 🏃🏻‍♂️ a good run today — 10k in 57 minutes flat, keeping my heart rate on the boundary between where I think my Zone 3 (tempo pace) and my Zone 4 (lactate threshold) lie, so I knew I should basically be able to last an hour or so at whatever pace my body felt like going 😅 there were sticky points where I wasn’t feeling it, but a gym motivation playlist I found on Spotify — full of pacy electro-pop — kept me going to the end 🎶 I’m running for Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity — a fantastic children’s hospital here in London — so if you are able and wish to do so, please do donate; your contributions so far have kept me accountable 😂 you can do so on this post, head over to JustGiving and search for ‘Henry Thorogood’, or if you’re a Facebook friend, there’s a fundraiser there too 💛 I promise I won’t post too many more photos of me drenched in sweat, and really appreciate your support — monetary or sentimental! — so thank you 💗 With much, much love — H

Some snaps from the past few days! 🍶🥃🍸 I am so proud of what our little team at Enshu — Satomi @enshusakeltd 💙 Mari @mylamb 💜 and Erika @_erikahaigh 🩵 — achieved this week, managing and executing the ‘Sake & Spirits of Japan’ pavilion at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair @specialityfair ✨ this represented months of work, from event concept and creative design (in collaboration with our amazing stand builders @imageexperiential 🙏🏼) through to logistics and live event management, as part of the National Tax Agency of Japan’s beverage promotion programme for this year 📋 the eight exhibitors showed sake, gin, shochu, whiskey, and umeshu, most flying over from Japan to participate, so there was some pressure to get it right ✈️ and while there were some challenges, we met them all calmly 😌 we happily had a pretty smooth two days, the fair generating hundreds of quality leads for the exhibitors 💪🏼 we further opted to run a seminar — focusing on approaches to sake and cheese pairing — expertly led by maestro Sarah @sakestudies 🌾 after a brief moment where I thought the seminar might be underattended, we had guests crowding in, even standing outside the paddock, to hear what Sarah had to say, and experience the delights of our exhibitors’ wares alongside fine cheeses from Paxton & Whitfield @paxtonscheese 🧀✨💛 this project almost certainly represents my most complex to date, and also the one with the greatest reach, so I’m grateful for the learnings along the way, as well as the trust of my team, and of the Japanese Government 🙇🏻‍♂️ to top it off, I yesterday taught the last day of the Level 2 Award in Sake at WSET School London @wset_school_london to a small but enthusiastic group; my thanks to Marie @thelarderat36drinks for covering my teaching, so I could attend the fair ❣️even after some long days this week (one 16 hour day including an emergency cover at Vagabond!), it’s easy to get excited about work when you can inspire others — usually in a small, but sometimes a profound, way — through the stories of craft, tradition, innovation, and resilience that characterise Japanese beverage culture ✨ I just hope this is the first of many new firsts to come 🎌

Some snaps from the past few days! 🍶🥃🍸 I am so proud of what our little team at Enshu — Satomi @enshusakeltd 💙 Mari @mylamb 💜 and Erika @_erikahaigh 🩵 — achieved this week, managing and executing the ‘Sake & Spirits of Japan’ pavilion at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair @specialityfair ✨ this represented months of work, from event concept and creative design (in collaboration with our amazing stand builders @imageexperiential 🙏🏼) through to logistics and live event management, as part of the National Tax Agency of Japan’s beverage promotion programme for this year 📋 the eight exhibitors showed sake, gin, shochu, whiskey, and umeshu, most flying over from Japan to participate, so there was some pressure to get it right ✈️ and while there were some challenges, we met them all calmly 😌 we happily had a pretty smooth two days, the fair generating hundreds of quality leads for the exhibitors 💪🏼 we further opted to run a seminar — focusing on approaches to sake and cheese pairing — expertly led by maestro Sarah @sakestudies 🌾 after a brief moment where I thought the seminar might be underattended, we had guests crowding in, even standing outside the paddock, to hear what Sarah had to say, and experience the delights of our exhibitors’ wares alongside fine cheeses from Paxton & Whitfield @paxtonscheese 🧀✨💛 this project almost certainly represents my most complex to date, and also the one with the greatest reach, so I’m grateful for the learnings along the way, as well as the trust of my team, and of the Japanese Government 🙇🏻‍♂️ to top it off, I yesterday taught the last day of the Level 2 Award in Sake at WSET School London @wset_school_london to a small but enthusiastic group; my thanks to Marie @thelarderat36drinks for covering my teaching, so I could attend the fair ❣️even after some long days this week (one 16 hour day including an emergency cover at Vagabond!), it’s easy to get excited about work when you can inspire others — usually in a small, but sometimes a profound, way — through the stories of craft, tradition, innovation, and resilience that characterise Japanese beverage culture ✨ I just hope this is the first of many new firsts to come 🎌

A long day here. So I opened one of the better bottles we have in the cellar 😮‍💨
📍Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru-La Maltroie 2017
🍯 Reminiscent of densely creamy rice pudding, honeyed baked apricots, and tangy, refreshing starfruit. And after a minute in the glass, closer to a peach crumble! What a lovely drop.
🥹

A long day here. So I opened one of the better bottles we have in the cellar 😮‍💨
📍Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru-La Maltroie 2017
🍯 Reminiscent of densely creamy rice pudding, honeyed baked apricots, and tangy, refreshing starfruit. And after a minute in the glass, closer to a peach crumble! What a lovely drop.
🥹

✏️My first (proper!) Sake Scribbling — a brief read on what I have in common with kappa, and how on earth that relates to some doburoku I kinda forgot about…
🔗 Link is in the bio!
#japan #sake #doburoku #kappa #tono #iwate

✏️My first (proper!) Sake Scribbling — a brief read on what I have in common with kappa, and how on earth that relates to some doburoku I kinda forgot about…
🔗 Link is in the bio!
#japan #sake #doburoku #kappa #tono #iwate

🍣🍶✨
#iykyk

🍣🍶✨
#iykyk

🍵 A whirlwind 48 hours of Salon Culture 🍵
I’m feeling quite, quite fortunate, having just spent much of the last two days with tea master Tsukuda-sensei, for a taste of Japanese salon culture — celebrating the opening of the new exhibition at the British Museum exploring the same 💛 Salon culture is a broad term, but is used here to describe interactions in shared spaces during the late Edo/early Meiji periods, through which people could practise and study artistic pursuits — tea, calligraphy, music, and more — as active participants, rather than merely onlookers 🎭 and so we happily began our time with a sencha gathering at the tea house nestled in the Museum’s Japan gallery 🎨 Salon culture, we learned, found its rise in Osaka in the late 18th/early 19th centuries, as an inclusive practice for the merchant classes to cultivate their interests, building on earlier, more exclusive spaces in both Kyoto and Osaka 🧐 unlike chanoyu, (the Japanese tea ceremony) which is a highly ritualised practice where there is (I think, from my own experience) a deep but quiet, codified interaction between practitioner and guest, our sencha gathering was — as in salon culture — a more open, free-flowing affair, us together analysing the hanging scroll first and foremost; the appreciation of just a few drops of vegetal sencha was what brought us together, but its preparation was almost by the by, us discussing instead the symbolism of the koi, and muse upon some Chinese poetry (I didn’t contribute much here!) 🀄️ a private viewing of the new exhibition followed — with this whimsical snail catching my eye 🐌 we returned the next day for a more extended viewing of the exhibition, but — very specially, and again with free-spirited discussion — a viewing and handling of Hokusai works in the research room 🖼️ this included a long time favourite of mine, a most saggy elephant, likely drawn just from stories and/or a hide alone 🐘 we enjoyed a handful of sublime scrolls — the one pictured, of two ducks on the water, most striking 🦆 not least, we met two impressions of Hokusai’s most famous work — spotting subtle differences, affecting tone and impact 🌊 a truly precious experience 💛

🍵 A whirlwind 48 hours of Salon Culture 🍵
I’m feeling quite, quite fortunate, having just spent much of the last two days with tea master Tsukuda-sensei, for a taste of Japanese salon culture — celebrating the opening of the new exhibition at the British Museum exploring the same 💛 Salon culture is a broad term, but is used here to describe interactions in shared spaces during the late Edo/early Meiji periods, through which people could practise and study artistic pursuits — tea, calligraphy, music, and more — as active participants, rather than merely onlookers 🎭 and so we happily began our time with a sencha gathering at the tea house nestled in the Museum’s Japan gallery 🎨 Salon culture, we learned, found its rise in Osaka in the late 18th/early 19th centuries, as an inclusive practice for the merchant classes to cultivate their interests, building on earlier, more exclusive spaces in both Kyoto and Osaka 🧐 unlike chanoyu, (the Japanese tea ceremony) which is a highly ritualised practice where there is (I think, from my own experience) a deep but quiet, codified interaction between practitioner and guest, our sencha gathering was — as in salon culture — a more open, free-flowing affair, us together analysing the hanging scroll first and foremost; the appreciation of just a few drops of vegetal sencha was what brought us together, but its preparation was almost by the by, us discussing instead the symbolism of the koi, and muse upon some Chinese poetry (I didn’t contribute much here!) 🀄️ a private viewing of the new exhibition followed — with this whimsical snail catching my eye 🐌 we returned the next day for a more extended viewing of the exhibition, but — very specially, and again with free-spirited discussion — a viewing and handling of Hokusai works in the research room 🖼️ this included a long time favourite of mine, a most saggy elephant, likely drawn just from stories and/or a hide alone 🐘 we enjoyed a handful of sublime scrolls — the one pictured, of two ducks on the water, most striking 🦆 not least, we met two impressions of Hokusai’s most famous work — spotting subtle differences, affecting tone and impact 🌊 a truly precious experience 💛

✏️✏️Finally, Putting Pen to Paper✏️✏️
As some of you might have noticed, I do love a long form post on Instagram, enjoying the challenge of telling every detail of a story through image and words, within Instagram’s tight character limit 💛 nevertheless, I’ve also found this limiting — so, I’ve decided to start a new blog — called @sake.scribblings — on Substack! ✌🏼

I’ve love writing, but I’ve not made enough space in my drinks life so far. So, I’d love it if you’d subscribe (it’s free) — or just read, if you’re interested. The first (only vaguely sake-related) post, explaining a touch more, is live — and the link is in my bio! 🔗

I’m really, really looking forward to sharing more sake stories with you all ✨🍶✨
#sakescribblings

✏️✏️Finally, Putting Pen to Paper✏️✏️
As some of you might have noticed, I do love a long form post on Instagram, enjoying the challenge of telling every detail of a story through image and words, within Instagram’s tight character limit 💛 nevertheless, I’ve also found this limiting — so, I’ve decided to start a new blog — called @sake.scribblings — on Substack! ✌🏼

I’ve love writing, but I’ve not made enough space in my drinks life so far. So, I’d love it if you’d subscribe (it’s free) — or just read, if you’re interested. The first (only vaguely sake-related) post, explaining a touch more, is live — and the link is in my bio! 🔗

I’m really, really looking forward to sharing more sake stories with you all ✨🍶✨
#sakescribblings

✨ Highlights of a sake-filled week — celebrations, challenges, and achievements ✨

🏆 Once again, many of London’s sake family came together to deliver the annual @internationalwinechallenge & Sake Samurai tasting — held at the Embassy of Japan @japaninuk — of some of the most lauded sakes uncovered by this year’s judging process 🏅 It was a particularly special edition of the event for me, as @zaku.seizaburo was invited to the event following a strong showing of medals — so I had the pleasure of showing our very own Zaku 作 to guests with the Shimizus, who flew in specially for the event, as with many other brewery kuramoto❣️

🚝 And then to Manchester, working as part of the @enshusakeltd team to deliver beverage promotion projects for the National Tax Agency of Japan — this time, a seminar and sake matching to @restaurant.mana @simon.martin.mana ‘s sensitively crafted dishes. I had the great pleasure of being the MC on the day, shepherding the event along while fielding some tricky questions in between courses on brewing water science, from the most curious attendees 🤓 big love to the Enshu gang, and profound thanks to the whole mana team, @sake_tazakifoods and @sushi_stu of @sushisushi_uk for your amazing efforts — as well as our fantastic guests from the Manchester food scene, who came to the event with an open heart and mind 💛

🎓 And finally, a truly personal milestone — my first experience of teaching a formal sake qualification, this the Level 2 Award in Sake, at @wset_school_london — one of the leading centres of beverage education globally, where I have spent many (too many? 😂) hours with my nose in a glass of something fermented or distilled 🍷🍶🍻 my particular thanks to my first ever sake sensei @natsukipim who not only observed the sessions, but has always spurred me on 🙇🏻‍♂️ and my delightful, engaged students who made my first classes a joy to teach❣️I truly hope they left the course enriched, and ready for the serious undertaking that is Level 3 💫

now, 🛌🛌🛌

📸 IWC Embassy Tasting @irie.keisuke — mana @mylamb —WSET @natsukipim

✨ Highlights of a sake-filled week — celebrations, challenges, and achievements ✨

🏆 Once again, many of London’s sake family came together to deliver the annual @internationalwinechallenge & Sake Samurai tasting — held at the Embassy of Japan @japaninuk — of some of the most lauded sakes uncovered by this year’s judging process 🏅 It was a particularly special edition of the event for me, as @zaku.seizaburo was invited to the event following a strong showing of medals — so I had the pleasure of showing our very own Zaku 作 to guests with the Shimizus, who flew in specially for the event, as with many other brewery kuramoto❣️

🚝 And then to Manchester, working as part of the @enshusakeltd team to deliver beverage promotion projects for the National Tax Agency of Japan — this time, a seminar and sake matching to @restaurant.mana @simon.martin.mana ‘s sensitively crafted dishes. I had the great pleasure of being the MC on the day, shepherding the event along while fielding some tricky questions in between courses on brewing water science, from the most curious attendees 🤓 big love to the Enshu gang, and profound thanks to the whole mana team, @sake_tazakifoods and @sushi_stu of @sushisushi_uk for your amazing efforts — as well as our fantastic guests from the Manchester food scene, who came to the event with an open heart and mind 💛

🎓 And finally, a truly personal milestone — my first experience of teaching a formal sake qualification, this the Level 2 Award in Sake, at @wset_school_london — one of the leading centres of beverage education globally, where I have spent many (too many? 😂) hours with my nose in a glass of something fermented or distilled 🍷🍶🍻 my particular thanks to my first ever sake sensei @natsukipim who not only observed the sessions, but has always spurred me on 🙇🏻‍♂️ and my delightful, engaged students who made my first classes a joy to teach❣️I truly hope they left the course enriched, and ready for the serious undertaking that is Level 3 💫

now, 🛌🛌🛌

📸 IWC Embassy Tasting @irie.keisuke — mana @mylamb —WSET @natsukipim

shall be running, not walking, back to @highergroundmcr for another superb meal — with a keenly priced wine list full of gems, especially sensitively-made low intervention styles — before too long 🏃🏻‍♂️ a special thank you to @anacandidaferraz for looking after us❣️

shall be running, not walking, back to @highergroundmcr for another superb meal — with a keenly priced wine list full of gems, especially sensitively-made low intervention styles — before too long 🏃🏻‍♂️ a special thank you to @anacandidaferraz for looking after us❣️

🖤🤍 A Caviar & Sake Adventure 🤍🖤
Earlier in the week, I happily had the chance to join my friends Asami and Masayo from @worldsakeuk at a special event, pairing their sake to fine Polish caviar from @antoniuscaviar at the pitch-perfect omakase counter @mayhalondon 🍣 while I’ve enjoyed caviar before, this was the first deep dive for me into the category, not only comparing various styles, but learning about the history, production techniques, and regulations that shape this almost uniquely luxurious comestible 💫 six sake — from @masumi_sake_atw @tedorigawa7 @sohomare @dewazakura_sake and @kamoizumi_sake — were paired with four caviars (covering the matrix of two species of sturgeon and two grades of caviar — essentially related to the age of the fish), each levering different qualities of flavour, texture, and taste to create unique pairing combinations 😋 while all the pairings were remarkably successful, I found the two most compelling to be the Masumi Origarami x Siberian 6* — a richly textured, almost luscious sparkling sake, which wrapped around the firmly marine quality of the roe to give a pleasingly dynamic tension of sweet and salt 🍿 and, quite differently, the Sohomare Junmai Ginjo x Oscietra 5* — this nutty, buttery caviar melding harmoniously with the fairly dry, softly fruity sake, giving a flavour effect almost akin to jam-on-toast, yet also being refreshing on the palate 🥐 after completing this flight (which was pampering enough!) Chef @jurek_wasio kindly shared some delights from the Mayha kitchen inspired by the caviar ✨The wagyu on a pleasingly oblong finger of sweet honey toast sealed the deal — what a fabulous way to start the week!! 💛 I left most happy and nourished — my thanks to all those involved in crafting such a special time spent together❣️

🖤🤍 A Caviar & Sake Adventure 🤍🖤
Earlier in the week, I happily had the chance to join my friends Asami and Masayo from @worldsakeuk at a special event, pairing their sake to fine Polish caviar from @antoniuscaviar at the pitch-perfect omakase counter @mayhalondon 🍣 while I’ve enjoyed caviar before, this was the first deep dive for me into the category, not only comparing various styles, but learning about the history, production techniques, and regulations that shape this almost uniquely luxurious comestible 💫 six sake — from @masumi_sake_atw @tedorigawa7 @sohomare @dewazakura_sake and @kamoizumi_sake — were paired with four caviars (covering the matrix of two species of sturgeon and two grades of caviar — essentially related to the age of the fish), each levering different qualities of flavour, texture, and taste to create unique pairing combinations 😋 while all the pairings were remarkably successful, I found the two most compelling to be the Masumi Origarami x Siberian 6* — a richly textured, almost luscious sparkling sake, which wrapped around the firmly marine quality of the roe to give a pleasingly dynamic tension of sweet and salt 🍿 and, quite differently, the Sohomare Junmai Ginjo x Oscietra 5* — this nutty, buttery caviar melding harmoniously with the fairly dry, softly fruity sake, giving a flavour effect almost akin to jam-on-toast, yet also being refreshing on the palate 🥐 after completing this flight (which was pampering enough!) Chef @jurek_wasio kindly shared some delights from the Mayha kitchen inspired by the caviar ✨The wagyu on a pleasingly oblong finger of sweet honey toast sealed the deal — what a fabulous way to start the week!! 💛 I left most happy and nourished — my thanks to all those involved in crafting such a special time spent together❣️

A hard day’s work at the @intspiritschal 🥃 almost 60 shōchū across raw materials and production method judged, plus we broke into the first 20 baijiu❣️so fantastic to judge with Marie @thelarderat36 @thelarderat36drinks guiding us along, and other learned drinks professionals in Toshio @toshio_sakesamurai Ollie @tengusake Sara @sarestein Tony @food_drinks_culture Leo @leosurovec and Andrea @andrea.dionori 🙏🏼 looking forward to completing the rest of the baijiu over two days next week! 🤓

A hard day’s work at the @intspiritschal 🥃 almost 60 shōchū across raw materials and production method judged, plus we broke into the first 20 baijiu❣️so fantastic to judge with Marie @thelarderat36 @thelarderat36drinks guiding us along, and other learned drinks professionals in Toshio @toshio_sakesamurai Ollie @tengusake Sara @sarestein Tony @food_drinks_culture Leo @leosurovec and Andrea @andrea.dionori 🙏🏼 looking forward to completing the rest of the baijiu over two days next week! 🤓

✨a not-insignificant life update✨
For most of last week — and on my birthday, no less! — I was fortunate to attend the WSET Sake Educator Training Programme (ETP), with the happy news that I passed the assessment on the final day! So, I’m now able to teach the @wsetglobal sake qualifications at all levels! 📚

The ETP course is a rewarding course, but equally challenging and intense, with a lot of preparation work required to make the most of the four classroom days. The course essentially comprises educational theory, presentations of both theory and tasting sessions, and important aspects of WSET course administration and giving feedback to teammates, so that delivery standards remain high. The course concludes with a teaching assessment of both theory and tasting, with feedback given shortly thereafter 💬

In certain ways, the ETP was an extended exercise in honesty: facing up to — and quickly addressing! — any weak points identified during the presentations, from classroom presence to timekeeping, from communicating clearly to appropriately challenging students, from storytelling to simply having the specification and associated knowledge at one’s fingertips — there are many, many plates that WSET educators need to keep spinning so as to effectively prepare their students for exams in the typically short time they spend together 👨🏻‍🏫 Happily, I feel confident in my abilities to do so — with many thanks to Natsuki Kikuya @natsukipim and Malcolm Venter @lostinshade from the ETP training team 🙇🏻‍♂️

Most of all, though, I’m humbled to have earned the trust to teach some of the same qualifications which have enriched my life so greatly! I just hope I can pass my passion for sake to others as my teachers did for me. In doing so, I hope I can play just a small part in supporting sake brewers and the broader industry, the world over❣️

Another chapter begins… 💛🍶💛

✨a not-insignificant life update✨
For most of last week — and on my birthday, no less! — I was fortunate to attend the WSET Sake Educator Training Programme (ETP), with the happy news that I passed the assessment on the final day! So, I’m now able to teach the @wsetglobal sake qualifications at all levels! 📚

The ETP course is a rewarding course, but equally challenging and intense, with a lot of preparation work required to make the most of the four classroom days. The course essentially comprises educational theory, presentations of both theory and tasting sessions, and important aspects of WSET course administration and giving feedback to teammates, so that delivery standards remain high. The course concludes with a teaching assessment of both theory and tasting, with feedback given shortly thereafter 💬

In certain ways, the ETP was an extended exercise in honesty: facing up to — and quickly addressing! — any weak points identified during the presentations, from classroom presence to timekeeping, from communicating clearly to appropriately challenging students, from storytelling to simply having the specification and associated knowledge at one’s fingertips — there are many, many plates that WSET educators need to keep spinning so as to effectively prepare their students for exams in the typically short time they spend together 👨🏻‍🏫 Happily, I feel confident in my abilities to do so — with many thanks to Natsuki Kikuya @natsukipim and Malcolm Venter @lostinshade from the ETP training team 🙇🏻‍♂️

Most of all, though, I’m humbled to have earned the trust to teach some of the same qualifications which have enriched my life so greatly! I just hope I can pass my passion for sake to others as my teachers did for me. In doing so, I hope I can play just a small part in supporting sake brewers and the broader industry, the world over❣️

Another chapter begins… 💛🍶💛

A very special day ⛩️ Hōchinsai at Fordham Matsuno-o Shrine 🍶

As one of just three sake breweries in the U.K., Dōjima Brewery at Fordham Abbey is already a bold force in bridging ties between the UK and Japan. But yesterday morning, the Hashimoto family realised a years long effort to do even more.

The weather was auspiciously wet — washing away and purifying — followed by sunny spells by the time we arrived at the beautiful Japanese garden and, sitting modestly at the end of the widning path, a new Shintō shrine. As many of you might know, the spirits of deities residing in a given shrine can be divided, shared, and rehoused at so-called branch shrines. Yesterday, guests travelling from as far as Japan, London, as well as the local surrounds, welcomed two deities to their new homes. Fittingly, the the deities in question hailed from a shrine with a deep connection to sake brewing, and no less from a Grand Shrine serving around one third of Kyoto’s population: Matsuno-o Taisha. This is a landmark moment for Mastuno-o Taisha too, with this being the first branch shrine of its kind outside of Japan.

As I understand it, attending and participating in the Hōchinsai ceremony — where the shintai (physical objects in which the deities reside) are moved inside the shrine — is rare for even many Japanese people, so to be able to witness this ceremony first hand, and offer Tamagushi — a branch of the Sakaki tree adorned with strips of white fabric — at the shrine myself, will probably be a once in a lifetime experience, and a precious memory shared with many of my sake family here in the U.K.

Once the ceremony was complete, we happily toasted the completion of the new shrine with fresh run unpasteurised sake from the brewery, and enjoyed a splendid sushi and wagyu lunch in the gardens.

My warmest thanks and congratulations must go to the Hashimotos for their hospitality! May the Fordham Matsuno-o Shrine endure as a force for building deeper ties between the U.K. and Japan for years to come. I trust that the spirits will be most happy in their new home, and that they will look over Dojima Brewery as you continue to brew superlative sake 🙏🏼

@dojimasake

A very special day ⛩️ Hōchinsai at Fordham Matsuno-o Shrine 🍶

As one of just three sake breweries in the U.K., Dōjima Brewery at Fordham Abbey is already a bold force in bridging ties between the UK and Japan. But yesterday morning, the Hashimoto family realised a years long effort to do even more.

The weather was auspiciously wet — washing away and purifying — followed by sunny spells by the time we arrived at the beautiful Japanese garden and, sitting modestly at the end of the widning path, a new Shintō shrine. As many of you might know, the spirits of deities residing in a given shrine can be divided, shared, and rehoused at so-called branch shrines. Yesterday, guests travelling from as far as Japan, London, as well as the local surrounds, welcomed two deities to their new homes. Fittingly, the the deities in question hailed from a shrine with a deep connection to sake brewing, and no less from a Grand Shrine serving around one third of Kyoto’s population: Matsuno-o Taisha. This is a landmark moment for Mastuno-o Taisha too, with this being the first branch shrine of its kind outside of Japan.

As I understand it, attending and participating in the Hōchinsai ceremony — where the shintai (physical objects in which the deities reside) are moved inside the shrine — is rare for even many Japanese people, so to be able to witness this ceremony first hand, and offer Tamagushi — a branch of the Sakaki tree adorned with strips of white fabric — at the shrine myself, will probably be a once in a lifetime experience, and a precious memory shared with many of my sake family here in the U.K.

Once the ceremony was complete, we happily toasted the completion of the new shrine with fresh run unpasteurised sake from the brewery, and enjoyed a splendid sushi and wagyu lunch in the gardens.

My warmest thanks and congratulations must go to the Hashimotos for their hospitality! May the Fordham Matsuno-o Shrine endure as a force for building deeper ties between the U.K. and Japan for years to come. I trust that the spirits will be most happy in their new home, and that they will look over Dojima Brewery as you continue to brew superlative sake 🙏🏼

@dojimasake

It was truly a pleasure to present Zaku @zaku.seizaburo at La Maison de la Culture du Japon à Paris @mcjp_officiel yesterday 🇫🇷💓🇯🇵 introducing sake to Japanese culture lovers, and of course meeting experienced sake fans, is almost always a joyful endeavour, and today was no different! An informative and dynamic seminar led by Sake Samurai @sylvain_huet served as a comprehensive crash course in Japanese sake to the audience, before presentations from fellow participants Urakasumi @urakasumi_sake , Kaiun @kaiun.doishuzojo , Masuizumi @ryumasuizumi and Belgium-based beer producer OWA 🍶🍺 I introduced (in rusty French, much of the content impromptu — I had expected a shorter time slot!) the charms of Mie Prefecture to an eager audience, before explaining our brewery’s philosophy 💭 I was told afterwards that my presentation was “charming” — I suppose this is a kind way of saying full of grammatical mistakes in a half-English accent, but comprehensible, which I shall take as a positive overall 😄 naturally a tasting followed, and it was heartwarming to hear positive feedback on Zaku, and to field a variety of questions from the curious attendees ✨ a lovely dinner followed to round off the evening at Le Petit Verdot @lepetitverdotdu6eme — with some superb wines (I realise I must drink more @bereche_champagne_officiel !) to match the delicious fare we were treated to 🍾 many thanks in particular to Ito-san and Masneri-san for their endeavours in organising the event 🙇🏻‍♂️ till next year❣️

It was truly a pleasure to present Zaku @zaku.seizaburo at La Maison de la Culture du Japon à Paris @mcjp_officiel yesterday 🇫🇷💓🇯🇵 introducing sake to Japanese culture lovers, and of course meeting experienced sake fans, is almost always a joyful endeavour, and today was no different! An informative and dynamic seminar led by Sake Samurai @sylvain_huet served as a comprehensive crash course in Japanese sake to the audience, before presentations from fellow participants Urakasumi @urakasumi_sake , Kaiun @kaiun.doishuzojo , Masuizumi @ryumasuizumi and Belgium-based beer producer OWA 🍶🍺 I introduced (in rusty French, much of the content impromptu — I had expected a shorter time slot!) the charms of Mie Prefecture to an eager audience, before explaining our brewery’s philosophy 💭 I was told afterwards that my presentation was “charming” — I suppose this is a kind way of saying full of grammatical mistakes in a half-English accent, but comprehensible, which I shall take as a positive overall 😄 naturally a tasting followed, and it was heartwarming to hear positive feedback on Zaku, and to field a variety of questions from the curious attendees ✨ a lovely dinner followed to round off the evening at Le Petit Verdot @lepetitverdotdu6eme — with some superb wines (I realise I must drink more @bereche_champagne_officiel !) to match the delicious fare we were treated to 🍾 many thanks in particular to Ito-san and Masneri-san for their endeavours in organising the event 🙇🏻‍♂️ till next year❣️

🤍 a pitch perfect lunch at @osiprestaurant 🤍

🤍 a pitch perfect lunch at @osiprestaurant 🤍

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