In the end, I think this film serves as an lens into how the outside world viewed Japanese culture at time it was made. Most interesting to me were the two brief scenes in “You Only Live Twice” that feature SAKE. There is actually a lot to learn here! Let’s break it down…

Sake Scene 1
Tiger Tanaka: “Do you like Japanese sake, Mr. Bond? Or would you prefer a vodka martini?”
James Bond: “No, no. I like sake. [sip] Especially when it’s served at the correct temperature, 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit, like this is.”
Tiger Tanaka: “For a European, you are exceptionally cultivated.”

In this scene, Bond passes on this his signature martini and admits he likes sake. The interesting point to note here, is that the writers are attempting to make Bond sound worldly and sophisticated by having him know the proper heating temperature for hot sake.

But wait – “Isn’t hot sake considered bad, cheap, yucky sake?”, you ask.

Well, viewed historically, at the time this film was made (1967) all sake breweries were still fortifying their sake with distilled alcohol as a legacy of wartime rice shortages. As a result, serving sake hot to help ward off any sharp or unbalanced flavors made sense and was very common. Chilled premium sake as we know and love it today wasn’t really around.

It wasn’t until a year later, in 1968, that the first breweries started to again experiment with making Junmai “pure rice” sake (no distilled alcohol added). This was one very significant factor that ushered in the area, sometimes called the “Jizake Boom”, of smaller breweries crafting increasingly pure, elegant and refined sakes that are best served slightly chilled.

I’m sure James Bond today drinks his sake chilled to a perfect 58.2ºF! And in Bond-san’s defense, if you ARE choosing to warm premium sake, 98.4ºF is indeed a fantastic serving temperature. Warm sake can be delightful if done properly.

Sake Scene 2
In this scene, James is supposedly “disguised” as a Japanese native by wearing a kimono and a wig. um… Please see my note above regarding cultural insensitivity.

He is pretending to marry a Japanese girl to help himself blend in as he attempts to infiltrate the evil Mastermind’s lair. And yes, he does try to get busy with his fake bride before actually infiltrating the evil Mastermind’s lair. um… Please see my note above regarding male chauvinism.

This scene simply represents a Japanese wedding ceremony with the bride and groom sharing sake as a sign of joining their lives. This part of the Shinto wedding ceremony that involves sake is called “San-san-kudo”, which literally means “three, three, nine times”.

The groom and bride each take three sips from three sake cups. The Japanese Spy/Bride in this scene is shown correctly taking three sips from the sake cup. The Shinto Miko maidens who pour the sake in this film also fill the cup with three small pours. What’s up with all the “Threes”? Three is an advantageous number in Japan and is not divisible thereby symbolizing unity for the couple.

And why is sake used to seal the deal on a wedding? It is a hold-over from ancient times when consuming sake was seen as a link between the gods and the people. When performed for real and not by spies, it is a really beautiful and touching ceremony with deep roots in Japanese culture.

The name is Sake, Urban Sake.
If you haven’t seen it, renting “You Only Live Twice” may be worth a look and good for a few laughs. You can indulge in a little political incorrectness, examine perceived Japanese social mores of the 1960s, and learn a bit about sake along the way. Yeah, baby!

What: Tim Sullivan Samurai Tasting
When: Sat. March 8th, 2-4pm
Where: Sakaya (324 E. 9th Street)
Why: It’s free and fun and delicious! Please stop by if you can to sample some fantastic sakes that have a connection to the Samurai Spirit.

I’ve been invited by Sakaya to host a special sake tasting at their shop and introduce some of my favorite Samurai inspired sake! As a Sake Samurai, I’ve taken an oath to educate about sake and share the beautiful culture of Japan. Here’s a look at the Samurai inspired sake we’ll try:

Sougen Junmai “Pride of the Samurai” (SMV: +3, Acidity: 1.8, Rice: Yamadanishiki, Seimaibuai: 55%, Ishikawa Prefecture) With a name like “Pride of the Samurai” how could I ignore this one? It sure doesn’t hurt that this sake is a perfect junmai, both with and without food. Smooth and quite easy to drink, I recommend this sake to people just starting out with Nihon-shu

Shichi Hon Yari Junmai (”The Seven Spearsmen” ALC 15.5%, SMV +4, Acidity 1.5, Seimaibuai 60%, Shiga Prefecture) Yasuhobu Tomita is a young brewer on a mission. His family Kura was founded by Samurai and Tomita-san tapped this same samurai family spirit to keep the brewery running smoothly and make some great sake. He uses only locally grown Tamazakae sake rice. This sake is fantastic both chilled and heated and offers a robust, truly artisan hand crafted sake experience.

The ’seven spearsmen’ brand is in fact in honor of 7 samurai warriors who helped secure victory for the famous Japanese War Lord Hideyoshi in 1583.

Tsukasabotan Tokubetsu Junmai Senchu Hassaku (Seimaibuai: 60% ALC: 15.4% SMV: +8 Acidity: 1.48, Kochi Prefecture)
With one of the coolest labels in all of sake-dom, Senchu Hassaku has a unique connection to Samurai history. Ryoma Sakamoto was a samurai warrior who, while on a boat, wrote an 8 point plan for political reform in Japan at the time of the Meiji restoration. “Senchu Hassaku” means “Aboard Ship 8-Point Plan”. This sake is dry with a fantastic, smooth flavor on the palate. Perfect for lovers of robust, dry sake.

Hope to see you on March 8th!!

I was happy to discover that Isetan had a sizable sake section! Seeing row after row of sake bottles on display on wide well lit shelves, I really had this feeling that I had reached the mothership! um, I was kinda in Sake heaven. I mean, you can’t really go to The Cellar at Macy’s and take your pick from 300+ sakes! The sales clerk was probably laughing at this wide eyed gaijin running from shelf to shelf fawning over each bottle. If my visit to Isetan was a musical, this is where I would break into song, dance around and put on the big show-stopping production number! well, luckily, I was able to refrain from singing, but I was singing inside! Isetan had a good selection of 300 ml, 720ml and 1.8L bottles.

If anything I was surprised at the number of 1.8L (called “ishobin”) bottles for sale. In the States, this size tends to be comparatively rare… and unfortunately for me, ishobin are not suitcase friendly! Since Isetan is attached to a major train station, there were many ‘gift giving’ friendly sakes, small bottles with extra special wrapping geared towards giving as an “omiage”. As is the custom in Japan, when people travel, friends back home might expect returning travelers to bring them a small token gift from the place they have visited. So, if you’re at Kyoto station ready to return home and you forgot your Omiage, Isetan food court has you covered! And what better gift than sake!

Isetan, not only catered to sake-loving travelers in search of gifts, but also those who may want a little sake somthin’ somthin’ for themselves! Enter the “one cup”. If you ever needed any proof that Japan is an awesome place worth of admiration, the invention of the “one cup” is it. There was a good selection of cute one cup sakes here that are perfect for sipping on the bullet train as the countryside flies by at 175mph. One cup sake has become a bit of a trend in recent years, and many breweries have released their sake in cute, well-designed single serving cups that just scream out to be collected.

After I had loaded up on some (portable) sake to bring home from Isetan, I had time to hit one more shop, so I headed out by subway in search of another sake shop! I ended up finding Meishukan Takimoto. When I was actually there, I didn’t know the name, as I can’t read the kanji, so I called it Sake Shop “X”. Sake shop “X” was pretty different from Isetan. There was sake everywhere, but I would 85% of it was 1.8L ishobin size. Also interesting that most of the sake here was not refrigerated.

I wanted to talk to the sales staff and introduce myself and explain about my blog and samurai ceremony, but I chickened out at the last minute due to lack of faith in my ability to communicate in Japanese. I did work up the nerve to ask about a very unique package of sake I found. Holy Capri Sun, Batman, this packet is perfect for the lunch box. I also used my visit to Sake Shop “X” to buy some nihonshu accoutrement. I remember John Gaunter saying in sake class that the bullseye sake cups were hard to come by in the States. So I found a large size one to bring home with me. This is the kind used in most judging sake competitions. cool, eh? I also picked up a couple small bullseye cups, too. Well, at this point I was getting weighed down with lots of sake and I needed to head back to my hotel. If I was going to fit this sake into my suitcase, it would take a serious song and dance routine.

Go to the QUIZ now>

Surprisingly, some Japanese brewmasters are also tuned-in to the undeniable appeal of pure gold. The connection between gold and sake was explored in detail at a recent American Museum of Natural History Event I attended called, “Adventures in the Global Kitchen: Golden Sake“. This enjoyable evening was co-sponsored by Sakagura restaurant and featured a lecture by Sake expert Michael J. Simkin.

This was one of the most well put-together tasting events I’ve ever been to. The facilities, printed materials, food, lecture and sake were all first rate. The evening started out with some introductory remarks from Bon Yagi, the owner of Sakagura. I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Yagi at the end of the evening and it was an honor to talk to someone who played such a large role in bringing sake to New York.

Next, Sake expert Michael J. Simkin took the podium and began a lecture on the sake production process and sake’s connection to gold. Michael has traveled extensively through japan and has interned at breweries working in the trenches to learn first-hand how sake is made. For me, one of the highlights of the presentation was the many photos Michael showed of him involved in the hands-on production process.

Museum volunteers then brought each of us a tasting size of the 5 featured gold leaf sakes.

As chance would have it, I recently reviewed the first sake we tried just last month! It’s the Kamotsuru Tokusei Gold (Daiginjo, Seimaibuai 50%%, SMV +1.5, Acidity 1.4, ALC 16.4%, Hiroshima Prefecture). I liked this sake last month and I liked it again tonight. The way Kamotsuru uses gold sets it apart from the other sakes immediately. The gold leaf is pressed into beautifully finished flower shapes that dance about in the bottle and in a small 180ml bottle there are only two of these tiny bits of gold. The sake itself is quite good and it was the least dry of the sakes we tried. The long finish and smooth palate remained from my first sampling of this sake.

Next we tried Manotsuru Sakin Honjozo (Seimaibuai 60%, SMV +4.5, Acidity 1.4, ALC 15.5%, Niigata Prefecture, Obata Brewery). I found this sake to have a soft, round feeling on the palate. Noticeable dry notes pervaded from start to finish. Of all the sakes I tried, this one have me the most gold flakes per cup!

Third was Kinpaku “Gold Leaf” (Seimaibuai 55%, SMV +3.0, Acidity 1.5, ALC 15.5%, Mie Prefecture, Wakaebisu Brewery). Of all the sakes we tried, for me, this one has the most pronounced alcohol bite. The nose smelled slightly pasty to me and brought forth images of kindergarten arts and crafts. I think this was my least favorite of the group.

Next sake up to bat was Shochikubai Jun-Kinpaku-iri Tokubestsu Junmai (Seimaibuai 60%, SMV +2.0, Acidity 1.6, ALC 15.5%, Kyoto Prefecture, Takara Brewery). This sake comes from a huge brewery and I learned from Michael that Takara is the #1 seller of sake in the USA. This sake came across with classic Junmai flavors and robust richness that kept the overall flavor profile “down to earth”. Nothing flowery or too elegant here.

The final sake we tried was Manotsuru Koshu Vintage 1999 (Seimaibuai 40%, SMV +5.5, Acidity 1.1, ALC 16.5%, Niigata Prefecture, Obata Brewery).. This interesting sake is not available in the US and is quite expensive – even in Japan – so it was a real treat to get to try it. Now, this was not the smoothest, most mind bending koshu I’ve ever had… but it’s better than most. The palate has hints of the Sherry-like flavors you get in less subtle aged sake. Along with a pleasant lingering finish, the color was also nice, keeping much of it’s clarity since 1999, unlike other sakes that turn various shades of amber when aged.

Once the lecture and tasting was over, Sakagura served some delicious food and refills on sakes were offered, too.

I finished the night understanding that gold leaf sakes are used often in gift giving and celebrations. Gold is considered a little something extra to set a gift of sake apart and let the receiver know they’ve gotten something special. Now, whether you’re drinking sake or watching some dancers on TV, these activites are meant to be fun, yet the moment you add some “Solid Gold” in the mix – you know you’re in for some serious fun.

There’s a lot going for this place: The Time’s Square location is central, the service is friendly, the japanese bar snacks are yummy, and the atmosphere is casual. The one thing that impressed me the most, however, were the offerings on the seasonal sake menu. I discovered on this visit that Hagi was offering three Autumn Namas. Namas made for the Fall are much less common, so I was excited to find them at Hagi.

Nama of course is unpasteurized sake (sometimes called “draft” sake). It’s usually produced seasonally for the spring and is extremely perishable so it’s meant to be consumed quickly. These springtime Nama sakes are known for the expansive fresh, alive flavor. Autumn Namas seem to me to have an earthier, huskier countenance while still having a unique “alive” dimension that all namas provide.

The first sake I tried was Urakasumi Hiyaoroshi (“Misty Bay” Miyagi Prefecture, SMV +1.5, Acidity 1.4). This sake came across as quite fruity, although my initial reaction was that it tasted one-sided and one dimensional. This point aside, I found it quite delicious, with a hint of nama freshness, but more subdued that what you would find in a springtime nama.

Next I had some of Scott’s Wakatake Onikoroshi Akino ki-Ippon (“Demon Slayer, Shizuoka Prefecture. SMV +1, Acidity 1.4). Hello badboy! This nama was bigger, bolder and brasher than the Urakasumi. I felt a little scratch from noticeable alcohol on the finish. This sake is a more in-your-face nama with fuller and rounder flavor. My favorite tonight.

Last but not least, I enjoyed the Wakaebitsu Gizaemon (“Young Smile, Mie Prefecture, SMV +2, Acidity 1.6). This third selection came across as earthy and sharp. On the palate, there were hints of softer fruit… could have been pear & apple as the tasting notes suggested, but quite mild fruits in any case.

Scott’s comment on the Wakaebitsu: Strong Grape Jolly Rancher notes. hmm.

These autumn namas were all really enjoyable. Now, the only issue I can see is that the rest of New York seems to have discovered this place, too, so the waits can be long. Obviously, I think the wait is worth it. Otherwise, just get there well before or after the 8pm rush.

Well, above and beyond everything else, I think the one thing that made me feel like Hagi could be my “Cheers” was seeing the guy who passed out at the bar next to me. Ahhh… welcome home.

Recently, however, I went for some training that took me out of my cozy little nest. I spent three days 9-to-5-ing in Midtown…Times Square no less! The crush of people and screeching taxis made Chelsea seem like a peaceful hamlet.

At the end of my first day of training my brain was fried and I was far from home and starving for some dinner. I felt I really deserved, and needed, a treat to sooth me and make it all better.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks – I was nearby one of my favorite places – Yakitori Totto. I walked over there and arrived just before they opened. I got a spot at the bar for the first seating and soon things started to look a little bit rosier.

Of course, I knew I needed a sake asap! I looked at the menu and decided to try something I’ve never had before. This is a move I call “Japanese Roulette”.

After checking over the sake menu in detail, I went with a glass of Azumaichi Junmai Ginjo ( SMV ±0, Acidity 1.6, Seimaibuai 65%, Saga Prefecture). The best word to describe this taste is “Jammy”. I didn’t know if I should drink this or spread it on toast. It’s thick and very fruity. The fruitiness comes across mostly on the palate as this ginjo only has a light fragrance. I think I would classify this as a good option when you’re in the mood for a sipping sake that you enjoy without food.

The food I had at Totto was beyond yummy as usual, but these fried and deeply flavored foods were not a dream marriage with the Azumaichi fruit bomb. Too much battling going on for flavor in the mouth. I think this sake would have worked better with a plain chicken yakitori that was simply grilled.

When I finished my secret, solo get-away to Totto, I felt refreshed, full and ready to take on city stress with the best of ‘em! Bring it, Midtown!

Well, as with all things sake it’s just not that simple. Kan Sake is a vast subject but I made some inroads into this world last week when I attended another Sake Seminar at Cha-an Tea House.

Again, this lesson on warm sake was facilitated by our friend Chizuko-san, sake sommelier at the amazing Sakagura restaurant and Sake Bar. Unfortunately, the November weather was not coordinating with the theme. It was a somewhat warmer and humid evening in NY and I wasn’t looking forward to 5 courses of steaming hot sake. My fears however were completely unfounded.

I found the evening too be delicious and I found myself to be a new and unlikely fan of heated nihonshu! How did this happen? Well, The evening was artfully arranged by Chizuko-san to showcase the very best of what heated sake is all about. Simply stated, it was a revelation.

Let’s review the individual Sakes presented and how they each stood up to warming.

We started with a real top notch pick right out of the gate. It was Yuki No Bosha Daiginjo (ALC 15%, SMV +2, Acidity 1.5, Seimaibuai 35%, Akita Prefecture.)

Chizuko-san described the sweetness fo the Yuki No Bosha Daiginjo as having a sweetness suggestive of warm milk with honey – and I couldn’t agree more. The warmed honey flavor really came through. It was delicious. Another important note about this sake is it’s richness. The rich deep flavor allows this sake’s rice flavor to come through despite the gentle warming.

Please also take note, this is a Daiginjo!! Prevailing advice is to never, ever, ever heat a delicate daiginjo, but in this case – it really works. delightful – and how often do you get a heated Daiginjo? try it!

The next sake was a surprise! We were honored to have Mr. Yamamoto from the Yamamoto sake brewery make an unannounced visit and share a real treat with us.

We had the pleasure of trying the Matsu No Midori Junmai Daiginjo (ALC 15.8%, SMV +5, Acidity 1.3, Kyoto Prefecture). This sake was very enjoyable, indeed. To me, it had a somewhat deeper flavor than the previous Daiginjo. The higher SMV also indicated to me that Matsu No Midori was slightly drier. At this point I was starting to feel spoiled drinking all this heated Daiginjo sake. I mean, usually, it’s a no-no, but all bets were off for tonight.

By this point I was feeling really good and was ready for our Third sake. We were treated to Kamoizumi Shusen Junmai Ginjo (“Three Dots”, ALC 16%, SMV +1, Acidity 1.6 Seimaibuai 58%, Hiroshima Prefecture)

I have heard before that “Three Dots” is a good sake for warming, and now I understand why. For me, this sake was tinged slightly yellow, but tasted nice and smooth with a distinct earthiness that lent itself well to heating. That earthiness was a woody mushroomy flavor that tasted so cozy.

An important note about this brew is the lack of familiar floral tones you might know from other junmai Ginjos. Chizuko-san told us, this sake was created by the brewery to have that “back to nature” quality. It may not be everyone’s taste, but I sure loved it. Like a camping trip in a glass!

The fourth sake was Dewazakura Izumijudan Ginjo (“Tenth Degree” ALC 17.5% SMV +12, Acidity 1.4, Seimaibuai 50%, Yamagata Prefecture)

Anyone who reads my blog regularly knows I’m a huge fan of Yamagata sake after I went to a special tasting that focused on that region. Dewazakura is perhaps the most well known brewery from this region. Above all, this Izumijudan Ginjo is a really dry sake that keeps it’s distinct try gin-like character even through a gentle heating.

Onward and upward! The fifth sake was the The Masumi Yamahai Ginjo (“Winter Yamahai”, ALC 15%, SMV +2, Acidity 1.9, Seimaibuai 55%, Nagano Prefecture). We learned that this sake was crafted especially to be heated. I found it to have a pure, rich yet smooth flavor.

I didn’t detect much of a nose at all and the tail I would describe as “barely there”. But while on that palate, this Yamahai is a full-bodied-people-pleaser.

Our second to last sake was the delicious Akitabare Koshiki Junzukuri Junmai (“Northern Skies”, ALC 14.5%, SMV +1.5, Acidity 1.55, Seimaibuai 60%, Akita Prefecture). The Akitabare we tried also lacked much of an aroma, but the flavor was rich and bold. This junmai was served headed to 122°F. It’s interesting to note that this sake is that the rice is grown locally and the yeast is produced in the brewery itself which gives this sake a special Terroir.

The final sake was one I was expecting and happy to see at a “warmed sake” evening. Last but not least we enjoyed Shichi Hon Yari Junmai (“The Seven Spearsmen” ALC 15.5%, SMV +4, Acidity 1.5, Seimaibuai 60%, Shiga Prefecture)

This is a delightful Junmai to enjoy everyday with no frills or fancy affect. It is one of the few sakes that can be heated to a higher temperature – up to 140°F and still taste great. The light dryness of the sake evokes it’s aim to be a simple treat. The Tomita Sake brewery is well known and it’s history dates back to the time of the Samurai. When heated the flavor greatly expands and warms you really from the inside out. Warning: this sake can be highly addictive!

Last but not least, Chizuko-san gave us a very handy temperature chart for heated and chilled sake which you can find below. as you can see there are many gradations of sake based on temperature. Next time you order your sake and the server asks “hot or cold?” You can answer you’d like your sake “Nuru-kan”. You’ll know for sure if they are hot…. or not. Enjoy

Anzu is a perfect example of this. This is a place that’s been open in my neighborhood for about 3 months. It used to be a Korean restaurant, but the owners decided to try japanese and converted to Anzu.

At first blush, this was a true find. The lighting was low, the countertops were concrete and the interior was sleek. I dove nose first into the sake menu. Again, at first blush, a small but solid list – about 12 sakes, most listed as available by the “box”.

I was happily surprised to see the Umenishiki Nama Daiginjo on the menu. oooh Yeah! That would be the perfect start to this evening. I also noticed there was a Nigori for sale by the “box”.

The waiter came by to take our order and promptly informed me that — sorry! only 4 of the 12 sakes listed on the menu were in stock. Oh, they had the Nigori but only by the bottle. Then he said, “yeah, we really have to update our menu.” damn straight you do!

Well, of the few sakes they had, I just went ahead and got the Wakatake Ginjo. I think it was the best tasting of the few they did have in stock. The really ironic thing about the lack of Sake at Anzu was the oversized glass-enclosed walk-in sake/wine refrigerator that dominated the back wall of the space. How could so much space be dedicated to keeping sake chilled and on display when there were only 4 sakes to be had? Cruelty I tell you!

The server arrived at the table with the masu on a plate and a giant bottle of the Wakatake Ginjo. He poured until about two drops spilled over onto the plate and then he was gone.

I took a closer look at the masu and realized something wasn’t quite right. the masu was, well, tiny… about 2 inches square and 1 inch deep. it looked really small. I took a sip and saw quickly that my sake would be gone very soon. Any normal masu i’ve ever seen is at least 3 inches square.

The Wakatake Ginjo was just as delightful as ever, I have no complaints at all with the sake. But, the serving size was about 4 ounces. At Sakagura, they would label this a “tasting size”. The worst part about the incredible shrinking masu was the price: $14.00. Now I am not at all a dyed-in-the-wool bargain hunter when it’s comes to my Nihon-shu. I’m happy to pay for high quality service, presentation and taste. But Anzu’s efforts at “portion control” just left me feeling ripped off. As for the food, it was mixed. Some things were good, some strange, but again, tiny portions.

It seems that for this Korean restaurant, turning Japanese was not born out of their love of sake.

1) Tim’s Sake Database. I’ve started a database to record all the sakes I taste. I only have about 20 sakes in there now, but I will definitely add more as time allows. Since tasting recommendations can be so subjective, I’m using both a Gauntner-style “tasting profile” chart as well as a totally biased score of 1-5 based on my personal review. Also, each page will record whatever technical data I can gather on each sake such as SMV, ALC percentage, Prefecture, etc.

2) Sake Basics. I thought it would be fun to put together a “Sake 101″ page that covers all the basics for people who are just getting started. Please check out my animated Seimaibuai (a.k.a. rice milling percentage)! Did I mention I’m a sake-geek?

3) NYC Sake Resources. Duh! I should have done this a long time ago. “Saké and the City…” This is a simple listing of sake resources, links, shops and restaurants that i’ve come across in New York City. I’ll add to this as I visit other cities or when I find new and exciting sake resources.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!