Guide to Blind Tasting Sake

“Can you guess what this sake is?”

Blind tasting is the skill of evaluating sake with the label hidden, identifying its characteristics through taste and smell alone.

Whether competing in tasting competitions or enjoying with friends, blind tasting is also the ultimate training for deeply understanding sake flavors.

This article covers blind tasting methods and tips for success in sake tasting competitions.

What is Blind Tasting?

Purpose

To evaluate sake purely on its flavor without preconceptions about brand or price.

Benefits

• Training taste and smell
• Freedom from bias
• Developing ability to assess sake essence
• Improving descriptive vocabulary

Types

Single Blind The organizer knows the brands, but tasters do not. This is the standard blind tasting format.

Double Blind Neither the organizer nor tasters know the brands. Allows for more objective evaluation.

Basic Procedure

1. Preparation

What You Need

• Sake (3-5 varieties is ideal)
• Kikichoko (tasting cups) or clear glasses
• Water (to cleanse palate)
• Neutral palate cleansers (crackers, etc.)
• Notepad and pen
• Aluminum foil or bags to hide bottles

Setting Up the Environment

• Room without strong odors
• Appropriate lighting
• Quiet environment
• Avoid perfume and hair products

2. Observing Appearance

Tilt the glass and observe color and clarity.

Checkpoints

• Color intensity (colorless to golden)
• Clarity (clear to cloudy)
• Viscosity (thin to thick)
• Presence of bubbles

What Appearance Reveals

• Deep yellow - Possibly aged sake
• Cloudy - Nigori or Origarami
• Viscous - Genshu or rich style
• Fine bubbles - Nama or sparkling

3. Analyzing Aroma

First smell without swirling (uwadachika/top aroma), then swirl and smell again (fukumika/palate aroma).

Checkpoints

• Aroma intensity
• Aroma types (fruit, floral, rice, aged)
• Initial impression and changes over time

What Aroma Reveals

• Fruity and floral - Ginjo style
• Subtle with rice notes - Junmai style
• Aged, caramel notes - Koshu or aged sake
• Lactic notes - Kimoto or Yamahai

4. Analyzing Taste

Take a small amount in your mouth and spread across the tongue.

Checkpoints

• First impression (attack)
• Balance of sweet, sour, bitter, and umami
• Mouthfeel (smooth, sharp, etc.)
• Finish length and character

What Taste Reveals

• Clean with sharp finish - Light dry style, Honjozo
• Strong umami - Junmai, Yamahai
• Light and aromatic - Ginjo
• Sweet-acid balance - Nama, Shinshu

5. Overall Assessment

Synthesize appearance, aroma, and taste information to verbalize characteristics.

Assessment Flow

1. Estimate classification (Junmai, Ginjo, etc.)
2. Estimate production method (Kimoto, Nama, etc.)
3. Estimate rice variety
4. Estimate region/brewery
5. Estimate specific brand

Types of Tasting Competitions

National Kikisake Championship

Organized by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association.

Format

• Preliminary and final rounds
• Arrange 5 sakes in order
• Match identical sakes (identification tasting)
• Time-limited answers

Winning Tips

• Start with distinctively flavored sakes
• Trust your instincts when uncertain
• Mind your time allocation

Brewery-Hosted Tasting Events

Events organized by individual breweries.

Format

• Questions from that brewery’s product lineup
• Brand identification or category identification
• Often casual atmosphere

Winning Tips

• Research the brewery’s products beforehand
• Learn each product’s characteristics

Regional Events

Events organized by sake retailers and regional associations.

Format

• Focus on local brands
• Many beginner-friendly events
• Often include prizes

Tips for Competition Success

Advance Preparation

1. Research Past Questions

• Look up previously featured brands
• Understand the competition format
• Taste sakes likely to appear

2. Memorize Distinctive Brands

• Brands with notable aroma or flavor profiles
• Famous brands often appear
• Regional signature sakes

3. Physical Conditioning

• Limit drinking the night before
• Get adequate sleep
• Avoid strong-smelling products day of

During Tasting

1. Survey Everything First

• Quickly check all varieties initially
• Note the most distinctive ones
• Group similar ones together

2. Use Process of Elimination

• Rule out definite non-matches
• Narrow down based on characteristics

3. Manage Time

• Do not spend too long on difficult questions
• Save time for final review

4. Trust Your Instincts

• Overthinking causes confusion
• First impressions are often correct

Mental Approach

• Stay relaxed
• Do not fear mistakes
• Remember to enjoy

Home Practice Methods

Solo Practice

Setup

1. Gather 3-5 different sake types
2. Pour into identical glasses and number them
3. Hide bottles (have someone help, or bag them)
4. Shuffle to forget the order

Practice

1. Note characteristics of each
2. Write your guesses
3. Reveal answers
4. Analyze differences between guesses and reality

Practice with Friends

Game Format

• Take turns bringing and presenting sake
• Use point systems for competition
• Hold description contests

Themed Sessions

• Limit to one type like “Ginjo only”
• Limit to one region like “Niigata only”
• Limit by price like “under $25”

Keep Records

Recording practice results helps you see improvement.

Items to Record

• Date
• Sakes presented
• Your guesses
• Correct/incorrect
• Observations

Training for Improvement

Aroma Training

Learn Fruit Aromas

• Apple, pear, banana, etc.
• Smell actual fruits to memorize
• Compare while drinking sake

Use Aroma Samples

• Utilize wine aroma kits
• Practice verbalizing scents

Taste Training

Confirm Basic Tastes

• Sweet: Sugar water
• Sour: Lemon water
• Bitter: Green tea
• Umami: Kombu dashi

Practice with Varying Concentrations

• Practice detecting subtle differences
• Lower your detection threshold

Vocabulary Training

Expand Vocabulary

• Learn tasting terminology
• Reference how others describe
• Practice expressing in your own words

Increase Output

• Keep tasting notes
• Share impressions on social media
• Discuss with fellow enthusiasts

Blind Tasting Considerations

Physical Condition

• Sensitivity decreases when you have a cold
• Too hungry leads to quick intoxication
• Too full dulls sensitivity

Environmental Awareness

• Avoid perfume and hair products
• No coffee or tobacco immediately before
• Quiet, focused environment

Moderation

• Sensitivity decreases with overconsumption
• Consider spitting rather than swallowing
• Reset palate with water

Conclusion

Blind tasting is the ultimate training for deeply understanding sake.

By hiding the label, you can engage purely with the flavor without preconceptions. The effort to verbalize what you taste sharpens your senses.

Whether competing in tasting competitions or enjoying as a game with friends, blind tasting offers unique rewards.

Start at home with 2-3 varieties side by side. Whether your guesses are right or wrong, you will discover new ways to enjoy sake.

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For how to write tasting notes, see How to Write Tasting Notes.

For information about sake certifications, see Guide to Sake Certifications.