The Sake Alchemist = Nihonshu and Tequila =

Nihonshu and Tequila

Seems to me that nihonshu (sake) and tequila have a similar issue in this country.  Both have a long and proud history in the areas where they originate, both are spectacular when treated with the respect they deserve, and both have an image problem based on the lower grade product that up until recently was all that has been available.  The fact of the matter is, high grade nihonshu, much like high grade tequila, much like anything good that someone has dedicated hours of their lives trying to perfect, is amazing, and well worth the effort to acquaint yourself with.

About 90% of my job is trying to convince people of this truth, to get them away from the idea that nihonshu tastes like mentholated spirits, that it produces the mother of all hangovers, that it is a strong and firey little spirit (none of which is true of high grade sake, by the way…).  The other 10% is trying to look busy in case my boss comes in.

I used to fear sake, for all the wrong reasons.  I had a bottle in my fridge, a gift, and the only way I could think of ridding myself of that garish little bottle was to mix it with Aloevera juice.  It still tasted terrible…

Then, when I moved to Tokyo in 2006, in a moment of post nomihoudai karaoke onsen madness, I gave sake one last chance for redemption…   First sip revelation.  The veil was lifted, and finally I was able to appreciate what those restaurants in Australia had been trying to achieve…

Another truth, now that we’re friends, before I wrap it up.  Much of the satisfaction I receive from my work is seeing people’s faces change from apprehension to appreciation on that first taste.  All I can say is, don’t be afraid of sake.  If you like wine, if you like beer, if you like spirits; try some nihonshu.  Do it now.  Before you finish this sentence.  I promise it will be the start of something beautiful.

Trust me.

I’m a bartender.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Wayne Shennen Bar Manager, Saké Restaurant & Bar, Sydney a According to Wayne Shennen, good bartending is all about balancing flavours. “The subtlety of each ingredient should shine through,” explains the passionate New Zealander, a trained sake sommelier and one of Sydney’s most respected bartenders at award-winning Saké Restaurant & Bar. “If you can taste what you’re drinking, you tend to treat alcohol with more respect.” a Having earned his stripes behind bars in Sydney and the UK, Wayne is now gaining a following of fans who appreciate his original cocktail mixes and extensive knowledge of sake and shochu. a “At Saké Sydney I’m given free reign to play – our bar staff all have a great knowledge of classic cocktails and we use this as the basis for getting innovative. We also have access to the world’s finest sake and shochu varieties,” says Wayne. “My goal is to make Saké famous for its drinks!”

Saké Restaurant & Bar
12 Argyle Street
The Rocks, Sydney
t. 02 9259 5656

Tasting Business at Saké Restaurant & Bar
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………