How should it be drunk
Sake can be enjoyed chilled, at room temperature or hot. This is dependent on the quality of the sake and the drinker's preference. Quality sake is usually slightly chilled (like white wine), whilst the lesser qualities are usually enjoyed as a hot drink. However, this always comes down to a matter of taste: good sake can certainly also be enjoyed hot (not too hot!), for example on a cold winter's day. Sake used to be served in small sake bowls in the olden days. Nowadays chilled sake is usually drunk out of a wine glass or a special sake glass.
Good restaurants are now increasingly including sake on their menus, as sake can be beautifully combined with most dishes. Naturally with a Japanese dish like sushi, but also with French cheeses, pasta or oysters. This is because sake has an impressive 400 taste factors, compared to the 200 wine taste factors. It's therefore as if though sake can adjust to any dish.
The hype has been going on for some time now in trendsetting world cities like New York and Paris, where sake is also served in trendy clubs and an increasing number of sake bars. People are even mixing with sake, much to the dismay of true sake lovers. What would you say to a 'Blushing Geisha' with Malibu and a strawberry liqueur or a 'Bonsay Buddy' with whiskey and lemon? Some sake experts feel this will lead young people to the better sake, whilst others see it as the worst possible thing you could do with sake.
