Sake Rice Varietals: Yamada Nishiki - The King of Sake Rice

Join us to learn about the most renowned sake rice varietal, the king of them all: Yamada Nishiki. Our sake tutor Sarah will take you through a curated flight showcasing the very best this famous rice has to offer.

Yamada Nishiki is the undisputed King of Sake Rice. No other rice varietal is as highly prized, or commands as steep a price. Developed in Hyogo Prefecture in 1923, Yamada Nishiki is now the most widely grown sake rice in Japan and remains an essential ingredient for making award-winning sake. The top rice fields in Hyogo have similar renown to Burgundy crus, and producers fight to purchase the top grades of rice from these plots each year. Yamada Nishiki creates sake with great breadth and depth, bringing its own unique varietal character while simultaneously providing a perfect canvas on which brewers can express their personal philosophy of sake-making. Join us and experience what Yamada Nishiki can do first-hand.

This class is suitable for all levels, from sake newcomers to those who have already completed WSET or other sake credential courses and want to hone their Yamada Nishiki tasting skills and go in-depth into this fascinating varietal.

During the class you will taste six premium Yamada Nishiki sake across a range of styles, accompanied by fine cheeses and nibbles. Tasting sheets with production notes and a Powerpoint presentation covering history, growing characteristics, flavour profile, famous production regions (and more!) will be provided.