What awaits you inside

An eight-hour immersive workshop designed for the curious. No prior knowledge required — only an appetite for understanding.

Duration
8 hours
Format
Guided tasting
Group size
Max 18 people
Level
All welcome
Language
English
The four major sake grades — junmai, honjozo, ginjo, daiginjo — and their flavour implications
How rice polishing ratio (seimaibuai) shapes texture, aroma, and price
The role of koji mold in converting rice starch to fermentable sugars
Water mineralogy: why soft water produces soft sake and hard water produces dry sake
Serving temperatures and how warmth transforms sake's character
Reading a Japanese sake label with confidence
Regional styles across Niigata, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Tohoku
Food pairing principles: katachi, harmony, and contrast
12 curated sake pours (approx. 30ml each)
Six seasonal food pairing bites
Printed tasting notes and aroma wheel
Sake passport — your personal record of the session
Certificate of participation
One bottle of sake selected for you at the session end
Post-workshop resources: label glossary, brewery directory, recipe guide
Optional: access to our alumni Discord community

Eight hours, deliberately paced

7:30 PM
30 min

Welcome & Introduction

Arrival, introductions, and a brief framing of sake's place in Japanese culture. You'll receive your tasting passport and aroma card.

8:00 PM
60 min

The Foundation: Junmai & Honjozo

We begin with the two most food-friendly styles — earthier, broader, and most representative of everyday Japanese drinking culture.

9:00 PM
15 min

Palate Reset

Water, pickled ginger, and a brief breathing exercise. We talk about how to clear and reset your sensory memory between flights.

9:15 PM
60 min

The Elevation: Ginjo & Daiginjo

The refined, aromatic, delicate styles that emerge when brewers polish rice to 60% or lower. Often served cold, these reward patience.

10:15 PM
45 min

The Edge Cases: Sparkling, Aged & Cloudy

Nigori, koshu, and sparkling sake — the styles that challenge the category's expectations and open it to new occasions.

11:00 PM
15 min

Food Pairing Workshop

Structured pairings: each of three bites tried with three different sakes. You'll discover why umami transforms and how acidity interacts.

11:15 PM
15 min

Label Reading & Q&A

How to read a Japanese sake label. Open Q&A with Billy — nothing is too basic. Every question makes the room smarter.

11:30 PM

Selection & Farewell

Choose one bottle to take home. Certificates distributed. Stay to linger over the last of the pour.

A preview of what's in your glass

Dassai 39
Region: Yamaguchi
Polish: 39% remaining
Delicate pear, melon, and a whisper of white flower. Exceptionally clean finish.
Kokuryu Junmai Ginjo
Region: Fukui
Polish: 55% remaining
Ripe tropical fruit over mineral water. Round and generous with lingering sweetness.
Tamagawa Tokubetsu Junmai
Region: Kyoto
Polish: 70% remaining
Warm rice, dried mushroom, a savoury backbone that deepens with temperature.
Murai Family Nigori
Region: Niigata
Polish: Unfiltered
Creamy, sweet, with soft banana and fresh cream. Shaken before serving.

Selection varies seasonally. Final list confirmed one week before each session.

Choose your experience

$5,000
per person
8-hour guided tasting
25 sake pours
6 food pairing bites
Printed tasting notes
Take-home bottle
Certificate of participation
Reserve Standard
Most Popular
$6,500
per person
Everything in Standard
Pre-session reading guide (sent 1 week prior)
Exclusive 3rd flight: rare & aged selections
Private label consultation with Billy
Alumni Discord access
Post-session sake pairing recipe booklet
Reserve Enthusiast
POA
per person
Exclusive venue hire (min. 8, max. 18)
Fully customised session theme
Custom sake selection
Corporate gifting options
Flexible scheduling
Dedicated host throughout
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