Brewed in Asahikawa, a metropolis in Japan’s coldest prefecture, Hokkaido, Toku makes use of methods developed over 120 years by one of many area’s oldest breweries.
Grace Hunt, head of advocacy at Toku Saké, stated: “The standard of and demand for Japanese foods and drinks is universally recognised, most lately evidenced within the growth in Japanese whisky. We consider the chance for a recent, tremendous premium saké is gigantic.
“Toku is the embodiment of the dichotomy between the leading edge know-how of Japan and its historic ritualistic heritage. Based on the thought of bringing a recent, versatile liquid to a Western viewers,” Hunt added.
Asahikawa experiences lengthy and chilly winters with below-freezing common month-to-month temperatures from November to March, making a great local weather for brewing saké.
Water for the liquid is taken recent from the Daisetsuzan mountain vary, mixed with Yamadanishiki rice and fermented in freezing circumstances to maintain it pure.
The Toji (grasp brewer) visits to verify its progress, a gradual course of with slight adjustments to the circumstances made by hand, because the mash is gently stirred, pressed then saved uncooked at freezing temperatures earlier than being filtered and saved at -4°C till it is able to be bottled.
Toku consulted a choice of the UK’s high bartenders, sommeliers and saké specialists to tell its packaging, in addition to partnering with bartender and sommelier, Stuart Hudson, to develop a spread of seven serve.
1,500 bottles of the 16% abv saké will probably be obtainable solely within the on-trade, for a WSP of £80, by means of status accounts together with The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental, the place the launch occasion was hosted.
