Dassai

“Dassai” is the name of a range of famous sakes from the Asahi brewery (note: nothing to do with the beer of the same name). They are all junmai daiginjo, or pure rice sakes, bursting with fruity and floral notes. “Dassai” means “otter festival”, as the Asahi brewery is based in Yamaguchi, a prefecture whose rivers are teeming with otters. What makes these sakes so remarkable, however, is the way they are made.

Traditionally, sake is brewed in winter under the supervision of a chai master called a toji. When Sakurai Hiroshi inherited the Asahi brewery from his father at the end of the last century, he abandoned this tradition in favour of a more scientific and profitable brewing method. Gone were the days of the haphazard cellar master and mediocre sake for local customers! From now on, Asahi would produce vintages year-round using carefully computer-controlled parameters.

This high-tech approach has offended the most conservative. Some observers also accused Asahi of starting the (somewhat futile) race for the highest rice polishing rate with its Dassai 23 sake. Despite these grievances, it has to be said that Dassai sakes are excellent: fruity, comfortable, refined and extremely elegant. They were our first introduction to sake and we still drink them with great pleasure. A safe bet, no doubt.