Inside a Regional Taxation Bureau Liquor Appraisal

The Nagoya Regional Taxation Bureau released a video showing their appraisal process for sake, filmed during assessment of ginjō and junmai ginjō. (Spoiler: it’s not as glamorous as you might think!)

The Nagoya Regional Taxation Bureau Liquor Information Channel (名古屋国税局のお酒に関する情報チャンネル) – shortened to the Meishu Channel (名酒チャンネル), which is an alternate reading of the first kanji for “Nagoya” + “alcohol” – explains the appraisal process and also the duties of the specialists when they’re not assessing sake or other alcoholic drinks. 

Mr Aizawa of the Taxation Department 2 Appraisal Division fielded questions, explaining that his section assesses alcoholic drinks sent in by any manufacturer in the area the Nagoya Bureau covers. Any sake found to be particularly outstanding are announced at a special annual event. Aizawa points out that unlike other competitions, their assessment is particularly focused on technique and giving feedback to brewers and distillers to help them raise their technical level. The Nagoya Bureau started these assessments in 1964 (Showa 39) and this is their 71st evaluation.

They had over 100 submissions for ginjō and junmai ginjō, which are shown in the video in unmarked light green bottles. Aizawa mentions that they will also evaluate kanzake (warm sake) on another day. He goes on to explain how ginjō sake is defined by polishing and brewing requirements that produce a characteristic floral aroma and fine-textured mouthfeel. And he touches on how adding brewers (brewing? brewed?) alcohol at the very end produces a ginjō, even more aromatic and with crisper mouthfeel, and not adding it produces a junmai ginjō, also aromatic but with a depth of flavour from elements such as umami. 

Aizawa points out that all of the sake sent in for evaluation are going to be excellent, so the specialists tasting them are not rating them on whether they’re good or not. Instead, Aizawa and his colleagues look for aromas and flavours that reflect on the brewing process, and for overall harmony and balance. He broke down the appraisal process as follows:

• Evaluate uwadachika (上立香) – the aroma components that vaporise most easily [orthonasal]
• Sip and evaluate fukumika (含み香) and kōchūka (口中香) aromas [retronasal and in-mouth?]
• Spit and evaluate yo’in (余韻)/atoaji (後味) [lingering notes/aftertaste]

These impressions of aroma, flavour and overall quality are recorded on a computer-readable slip with a code for the submitted sake, the evaluator, required sections with an overall evaluation, evaluation of aroma and flavour, and lightness/richness of flavour, followed by optional sections on aroma and flavour  characteristics and also faults. The kanzake slip has required sections on overall evaluation and lightness/richness of flavour, plus optional sections on aroma and flavour characteristics and faults. Each slip is then read by a special scanner and the evaluations are compiled to produce the final results, which will be announced at a ceremony on 8 November 2022.

The evaluation is normally held only once a year, and the rest of the time the department staff give technical support to alcoholic drinks manufacturers, including going on-site if necessary. They also hold study sessions to improve beer brewing. 

(Source: YouTube video, Japanese, 6:47)