The International Chamber of Commerce Wine and Spirits Tasting
The Japanese Chamber of Commerce in the UK took part again this year in the annual International Wine and Spirits Tasting in London. This event was organised by a number of foreign chambers of commerce, and Japanese sake and whisky were presented and enthusiastically received.
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IWC 2014 Award Winning Sake tasting at the Embassy of Japan, UK
On 17th July, the day after the IWC sake awards announcement, His Excellency Mr Keiichi Hayashi, the Ambassador of Japan and his team kindly hosted a sake tasting event to celebrate the champion and short-listed sake makers of the IWC 2014 sake competition.
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IWC 2014 Champion sake
Sake Samurai UK would like to send heartfelt congratulations to Mr Atsushi Hirata from Hirata Brewery, who won the IWC 2014 Champion Sake Award with a 1995 Jukusei Koshu Hidanohana Suiou. The award was presented at the IWC Awards Dinner held in London on 16th July. It was a sensational win for this small family-run sake brewery with only 5 employees, which fought off stiff competition from over 700 other entries to scoop the prestigious title.
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Fukuoka showcases sake in Paris
A delegation from Fukuoka prefecture led by the Governor Mr Hiroshi Ogawa delighted the palates of gastronomic Parisians with a selection of finest sake, shochu and local specialities. The reception took place in Paris at the residence of the Japanese Ambassador to France, Mr Yoichi Suzuki, on the 2nd July, with invitations extended to opinion leaders, press and the trade in Paris.
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Oxford meets Japanese Sake Makers
On 28th June at the Saïd College Business School in Oxford, a delegation representing Japanese sake makers gave a talk on sake followed by a tasting reception. This prestigious and popular event offered students a rare opportunity to meet sake makers in person.
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Japanese hospitality at Oxford University Ball
On a mid-summer’s night of the 27th June at the St John’s College Commemoration Ball in Oxford, Japanese ‘omotenashi’ hospitality was extended to a distinguished party of guests. Founded in 1555, St John’s College is one of the oldest and most prestigious colleges of the University, with notable alumni including Japan’s own Prince Fumihito.
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IWC 2014 Sake Trophy
IWC 2014 Sake Trophies have been announced on the 14th May. The best sake of each category is awarded the Category Trophy. The runner-up sake are awarded the regional trophies with the name of prefecture or city. The overall Champion of IWC Sake 2014 will be announced on the 16th July at the IWC Awards dinner.
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IWC 2014 Sake Medals
IWC 2014 sake medal winners have been announced on the 7th May
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IWC 2014 Sake Judging
In London, on the 14th and 15th April, IWC 2014 sake judging was undertaken with a staggering new record of 725 entries in 7 categories. This year, two new categories of sparkling sake and ordinary sake were added to the original repertoire of Junmai, Junmai Gijo/Daiginjo, Honjozo, Ginjo/Daiginjo and Koshu.
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Sake evening at the Sainsbury Institute, Norwich
As a part of the Friends of the Sainsbury Institute programme, a Sake Tasting and Talk event was held on 8 April, giving the Institute’s supporters an opportunity to learn about sake from an expert in an informal and friendly atmosphere, and to enjoy tasting different kinds of sake, which is becoming increasingly popular in the UK.
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IWC 2014 Sake Competition
In partnership with International Wine Challenge (IWC), the Sake Samurai Association is pleased to announce the IWC 2014 sake competition schedule.
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Sake Seminar gives brewers’ insights to local staff
Following the Sake Evening at the Houses of Parliament on March 26th, the Embassy of Japan in the UK hosted a sake seminar for key Japanese expat staff working in the London branches of Japanese government agencies. The aim of the seminar was to provide up-to-date information and brewery-perspective insight to staff tasked with support the import and marketing of sake to British audiences.
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Sake Flows at the Palace of Westminster
Sake Samurai UK is pleased to report that on March 26th five of Japan’s most commercially and critically successful sake makers presented a selection of their most exceptional sake at a special Sake Evening hosted by the British-Japanese Parliamentary Group in association with the Sake Samurai Association.
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Top Chefs and Restaurants Celebrate UNESCO Inscription of Washoku
The Embassy of Japan in the UK hosted three-star Michelin chef Yoshihiro Murata from Japan and the UK’s very own Heston Blumenthal, as well as nine outstanding restaurants and culinary associations, to celebrate the inscription of washoku on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. A selection of sake was showcased as a unique national drink and an important ingredient in Japanese culinary culture.
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WSET Prepares to Launch New Qualification in Sake
The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), in anticipation of the launch of a new sake qualification in August 2014 has run a series of sake seminars for sommeliers and distributors, supported by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to educate WSET sake instructors.
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Akita Prefecture Sake Showcased at the Embassy of Japan in the UK
The Embassy of Japan in the UK and the local government of Akita prefecture co-hosted a special evening showcasing some of the very best sake from Akita prefecture, otherwise known as the “empire of beautiful sake”.
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Discovering Sake at BlackRock
In collaboration with the Japan Society and BlackRock, Sake Samurai hosted a screening of Discovering Sake, the MAFF-sponsored series of films introducing sake, following by a tasting.
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Sake Showcased to Oxford MBA Students
Sake Samurai UK and World Sake Imports introduced premium sake to nearly 200 students from 45 countries at the Said Business School, University of Oxford, on 29th January.
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Sake From Kyushu Showcased at Industry and Media Event in London
A recent industry and media event in London introduced some of the highlights of travel to the island of Kyushu, not least its impressive sake culture and recent award-winning sake brands.
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Discovering Sake shown on Discovery Channel UK
Discovery Channel has been showing a series of programmes, 'Discovering Sake', uncovering the secrets of Japan’s sake brewers.
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Sake Samurai Inauguration 2013
Introducing the men and women chosen to be inaugurated into the Sake Samurai for 2013. Find out about these internationally active sake influencers here.
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Dassai to Open Retail Outlet, Restaurant in France
Award-winning brewery Asahi Shuzo will be opening its first overseas retail outlet, in Paris, France, in spring 2014. The outlet will also feature an outlet. The brewery established an overseas office, Dassai France, in August 2013 and having selected a location is now conducting training for local staff.
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UK’s Largest Japanese Food Distributor Purchased by Takara Shuzo
Japanese brewery Takara Shuzo announced on 19th September that it had purchased Tazaki Foods, the UK's largest distributor of Japanese food and drink, on 24 September. Tazaki Foods has been supplying authentic Japanese ingredients, including rice, sake, and mirin, to Japanese restaurants and other trade customers since 1978.
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Kitaya Win Brings Joy to Fukuoka, Kyushu
Daiginjo Gokujo Kitaya was crowned 2013 IWC Champion Sake at the IWC Awards Dinner this July, and the Kitaya brewery has been celebrating its success and enjoying the enhanced media profile befitting of the winners of the most prestigious sake competition outside of Japan ever since.
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