Six Sake Sisters: Lemon
Written by zachariah smooklerThe fifth featured brew of our Six Sake Sisters series is the refreshingly crisp Waka No Megumi “Lemon.” Brewed in the Wakayama Prefecture, which is also known as Japan’s Fruit Kingdom, the Lemon brew is a high-quality citron sake liqueur that will give any limoncello a run for its money. A product of the world famous Sekai Itto Sake Brewery, this summery sipper is bursting with taste, and the iconic yellow hue (reminiscent of a magical potion) of the beverage playfully invited us to indulge.
Following the brewer’s recommendation to drink this sake both chilled and on the rocks, my tasting party was immediately blown away by its drinkability. The evident lemon blend gave the sake an almost lemon drop-like taste that started out smooth and finished even smoother. The outfit of neighbors I had invited over to taste this rare brew were amazed at the texture and taste notes that were clearly very “citrusy.” I began to hear phrases like “is there even alcohol in this?” and “the smoothest and most drinkable sake I’ve ever tasted!” For first time and veteran sake drinkers alike, it would be quite difficult finding a sake that would be a better aperitif or beverage to sip on during any type of celebration or outing. The low alcoholic ABV of 8% contributes to this brew’s subtle sweetness and crisp tart finish. Out of all the sakes I have tasted, I can without a doubt say that this is the most sippable alcoholic beverage I have ever enjoyed.
As I have done with the previous members of this series of sake liqueurs, we went ahead and mixed this high-quality citrus sake with a few splashes of vodka. I grabbed a glass, put three ice cubes in and poured in half a glass of lemon sake and three splashes of Smirnoff vodka. It was quickly apparent that the vodka was the perfect complement to this fruity tasting aperitif. With the Waka No Megumi Lemon having very little alcohol in it, the Smirnoff not only gave the contraption a more typical alcoholic taste, it noticeably intensified the unique lemon blend that makes this liqueur so special.
In conclusion, my tasting party was stunned at the drinkability and amazing lemon blend that this Waka No Megumi “Lemon sipper had to offer. The yellow potion-like hue of the liquid itself is cleverly packaged in a clear and narrow bottle and while it could be paired with any number of cuisines, I’d actually recommend this brew be used as an appetizer by itself!