Wakaze Cognac Barrel Sake

The Story

Sake by way of France! This offering from Wakaze is brewed in Paris and aged in cognac barrels, picking up rich, warming notes from the wood that you wouldn't find in a traditional Japanese sake. The base is made with French-grown rice, polished only to 90% of the grain remaining (practically a table rice %), which gives the sake a full, grainy body that stands up to barrel aging. It's experimental, boundary-pushing, and completely unlike anything else you've tasted.

Tasting Profile

Aroma: Notes of honey, caramel, and dried fruit imparted by the cognac barrels.

Palate: Soft and lush, with a round sweetness and warm oak undertones. The minimal polishing gives it body and texture, while the barrel aging adds depth and complexity.

Finish: Smooth and lingering, with a gentle warmth that invites slow sipping.

Serving & Pairing

Serving Temperature: Chilled or at room temperature, or try it slightly warmed to bring out the barrel character a bit more.

Food Pairings: Think French bistro: coq au vin, rich beef stew, or a wedge of funky blue cheese. It's also fantastic as a digestif after a big meal.

Why We Love It

We love this bottle because it asks "what if?" and actually follows through. What if you brewed sake in France? What if you aged it in cognac barrels? What if you treated sake less like a category and more like a canvas? Wakaze is doing exciting experimental work in the sake world right now, and this bottle is a perfect example of their fearless approach. It's sake for wine lovers, whisky lovers, and anyone who's ready to have their assumptions challenged.

Specs

About the Brewery: Wakaze
Wakaze is a sake brewery of modern times. Founded in Japan in 2016 by Takuma Inagawa, a former consultant with degrees from Keio University and Ecole Centrale Paris, the company opened a brewery in Paris to bring sake directly to European audiences. Their philosophy is simple: everyone, everywhere deserves good sake to enjoy with food, with friends, and without rules. That means experimenting with French-grown rice, aging in wine and spirit barrels, and generally ignoring the traditional boundaries of what sake is "supposed" to be. The result is some of the most creative and conversation starting sake being made today.