The holidays are nearly upon us, and that means it’s time to start thinking of gifts for your friends and loved ones. That can be a challenging task — we all have people in our lives who are notoriously difficult to shop for. But for those who enjoy a drink from time to time, a bottle of whiskey, tequila, or other spirit, or perhaps a bottle of wine, is always a good choice. One category that you may not have considered till now is sake, but it’s time to examine its virtues. This traditional Japanese brewed alcoholic beverage is incredibly varied and versatile, and one brand that has made it its mission to look towards the future while also respecting the traditions of the past is Sake ONO.
The founders of this new brand traveled to Japan to find the best sake brewmasters in the country, and ultimately partnered with the Yoshi No Gawa brewery in Niigata, which has been around since 1548. Sake ONO’s Junmai Daiginjo expression, a premium style of sake, is made using just four ingredients — rice, water, yeast, and koji, which is a fermentation starter that provides some umami notes on the palate. Flavors of honeydew, lemon peel, green apple, and subtle florals make Sake ONO stand out while the koji adds soft umami undertones.
What makes sake so unique as a category is its adaptability, thanks in part to its relatively low alcohol content (Sake ONO, for example, is bottled at 15 percent ABV), which means that it doesn’t overwhelm the palate. Sake can be used in cocktails, for cooking, paired with many different types of food, and of course enjoyed chilled on its own.
It also happens to make a great gift option, so we’ve put together a guide to help you tailor Sake ONO to different occasions and people with different interests. Whether you’re looking for a gift for someone who is familiar with sake or who is a novice to the category, Sake ONO can be a great choice.
The White Wine Lover
A neat pour of Sake ONO is best enjoyed chilled in a Sauvignon Blanc glass, something that any white wine lover will appreciate. This allows the aromas to gather at the top while nosing, ensuring the flavors stay within the glass while sipping. Anyone who loves white wine will appreciate sake’s crisp palate, along with a range of fruit, citrus, and floral notes. Sake ONO might just be the first step in a vino lover’s journey into the world of sake.
The Home Chef Who Loves to Entertain
While Sake ONO is wonderful to drink on its own, it’s also an amazing accompaniment to a wide variety of foods. Some recommended pairings include charcuterie, soft or mild cheeses, beef carpaccio, and grilled seafood. But that’s just the start. Raw seafood like oysters and ceviche pair well with Sake ONO, but on the flip side a lightly salted fried tofu dish or fried chicken would work magnificently. It also matches well with the season’s most decadent desserts like dark chocolate cake or crème brulée. The complexity and range of the flavor profile means that it can adapt to all of these different foods, light or rich. Anyone who enjoys cooking, either for themselves or friends, will discover just how easy it is to enjoy Sake ONO with an array of home cooked dishes.
The Home Mixologist
Traditionally, sake is enjoyed as a neat pour, but bartenders around the world have discovered just how well it works as a cocktail component. This is something that any home mixologist will appreciate, especially given how easy it is to use it in place of other wine-based ingredients (such as vermouth) and/or add it to a classic drink to change up the flavor. For example, Sake ONO’s intrinsic dry flavor profile means that it works well in a Martini. Just combine two ounces of sake with a half ounce of gin or vodka and a dash of umami bitters, stir over ice, pour, and garnish with a lemon peel or olives (or both). Negroni fans can swap Sake ONO out for gin — just mix with sweet vermouth, bitter amaro or aperitivo, and garnish with a slice of orange. If you like to keep things simple, a classic Highball is the way to go. Combine Sake ONO with club soda, and add a half ounce of lemon juice, some simple syrup, and perhaps a splash of bourbon or Japanese whisky.
This article is sponsored by Sake ONO.
