Which Sake Should You Choose for a Special Occasion?

For a special occasion, we recommend PRESTIGE I, composed with Noguchi Naohiko and presented in porcelain handcrafted in Arita by Arita Porcelain Lab.

At Arita Porcelain Lab, artisans including Fusako Shinohara shape and finish the vessels for our PRESTIGE collection.

what makes prestige i a special occasion bottle?

Made in Japan, PRESTIGE I brings together Régis Camus and Noguchi Naohiko, the Japanese master known as the God of Sake. Noguchi-san opened his archive of unreleased sake for this composition, and through Assemblage they composed several sakes from his brewery into one expression.

Noguchi-san has devoted more than seven decades to sake. His present brewery, the Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute in the mountains of Ishikawa, was founded in 2017.

Régis and the brewery work with finished sakes, tasting them together and choosing the proportions for the final composition. We explore the method further in The Sake Made by a Champagne Cellar Master.

why is prestige i presented in porcelain?

The handcrafted Arita porcelain bottle brings Japanese ceramic craft into the experience of PRESTIGE I. Arita Porcelain Lab makes the vessel, while Noguchi-san and Régis compose the sake it holds.

Fusako’s work on the porcelain and its glaze is part of the story we tell in The Women of HEAVENSAKE. On the table, the vessel is as much a part of the occasion as the sake inside.

what can you expect from prestige i in the glass?

A silky mouthfeel and a lush palate, with acidity carrying the flavor into a lingering finish. Beyond the fruit and floral notes in the table below, PRESTIGE I has notes of almond financier, the small almond cake, and acacia honey. Marzipan and an earthy umami, or savory depth, add another side to its character.

That combination of delicacy and depth is why we choose it for a milestone dinner. There is richness to enjoy with the meal and detail for someone who takes an interest in the sake itself.

which bottle suits the meal?

Choose by the food you are serving. Each bottle below is composed with a different Japanese brewery.

Bottle	Taste	Food	Occasion
PRESTIGE Icomposed with Noguchi Naohiko	Yellow peach, mango and iris, complex and delicate, with a lingering finish	Chu-toro, a rich cut of tuna, or charcoal-grilled wagyu	A milestone dinner, or the first toast of a celebration
LABEL NOIRcomposed with Niizawa	Floral aromas with cantaloupe, tangerine, lychee and ripe apple, and a lingering finish	Caviar, lobster or Parmigiano Reggiano	An anniversary dinner with rich, delicate dishes
LABEL ORANGEcomposed with Urakasumi	Pineapple, lychee and melon, rich, complex and silky	Fatty tuna, uni (sea urchin), roasted duck or aged Comté	A birthday dinner around a roast or richer plates
LABEL AZURcomposed with Dewazakura	Green apple and fresh mint, then pear and white grape, lively and mineral	Delicate sashimi, seafood or spring vegetables	A celebratory lunch or a lighter dinner

We serve each of these chilled, at 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F), in a white wine glass, as we explain in Why We Serve Sake in a Wine Glass.