TASTING

Like most food and beverages, sensory evaluation is done using our eyes, nose, tongue, mouth and throat before and after drawing the beverage into the mouth. We make overall evaluations based upon the signal these sensors send to the brain. Sake tasting is a serious practice for ranking or classifying products by experienced sake experts. They use complicated terms that may only be comprehensible in the traditional industry. We recommend a simplified though considerate tasting in order to appreciate sake itself or its food pairing capabilities. We will try to accomplish two objectives in tasting: noting characteristics and judging its appeal. The following are the basics of the sensory evaluation:
(Click here for a printable form that may be used in tasting.)

Before putting into mouth:
Appearance	color, turbidity/cloudiness
Aroma	aroma profile, unpleasant odor

 

After putting into the mouth:
Flavor (sensation at nose after putting into mouth)	flavor profile, odd flavor
Taste	sweetness or dryness, sour, bitter, acidity, astringency/tartness
Mouth Feel (physical feeling)	body-viscosity, smoothness
Aftertaste "Kire"	lingering or tailing after swallowed
Balance	flavor profile, cleanness
Overall evaluation	flavor profile, mouth feel