Japan is famous for its four distinct seasons, which influence all aspects of life. Autumn is called the ‘season of appetite’ and is one of the most anticipated times of the year, with the harvest bringing in a bounty of seasonal ingredients – and some very special sakes for eager drinkers to pair them with! One of the most famous fall styles is called hiyaoroshi: sake that is brewed in the depths of winter, then left to mature all through spring and summer after being temperature stabilized only once (instead of the usual two times) so that it develops deep flavour but still retains the zingy freshness of fresh-pressed sake. These limited-edition releases are highly anticipated by sake fans and sell out quickly every year. Only a handful of these special bottles make it the UK, but our sake tutor Sarah has secured some exclusive selections from overseas to show you the full range of hiyaoroshi and the other seasonal autumn sake styles.
This class will be great for everyone from sake novices to aficionados, and includes a tutored tasting of six sake and a Powerpoint lecture on autumn seasonality in Japan and the unique elements of sake enjoyment at this time of year.
On the evening you will taste six different autumn seasonal sake across a variety of styles,
accompanied by fine cheeses and Japanese-influenced nibbles including a handmade seasonal wagashi (traditional Japanese sweet).

About the Instructor and School:

Sarah Stewart teaches on sake, wine and cheese at West London Wine School. She has extensive sake and wine qualifications, and also volunteers as the Membership & Events Officer for the British Sake Association. She lived in Japan for two years and returns annually to continue her beverage studies there. She has also trained in Urasenke chado, “The Way of Tea”, for the past 17 years, giving her hands-on experience in traditional Japanese methods of service and hospitality and a deep understanding of Japan. You can find her @sakestudies on Instagram.

West London Wine School is a local, independent and award-winning wine, sake, beer and cheese education company founded in 2010 and based in the heart of West London. Our courses and tastings focus on enjoying beverages whilst learning more in a relaxed and informal setting with friendly people and industry-leading tutors. If you know what you like and want to find out why, our tastings and courses provide the answer. In 2018 we received the prestigious WSET Educator of the Year Award for the top wine education provider globally, and have an average review score of 5 stars on Trip Advisor.

Cost: £45 per person