This refers to unpasteurised bottles of sake which skip the pasteurisation (Hiire) process. The word ‘Nama’ (生) in Japanese literally means raw or fresh.

Pasteurisation is an important process in sake making which stabilises the flavours of sake and increases shelf life. Skipping this step allows the sake to maintain a lot of its original aromas and flavours leading to a much more vibrant and lively flavour. The downside to this is that namazake can spoil easily if not refrigerated correctly. It is recommended that namazake is refrigerated even before opening.

Namazake is an art of Japanese craftsmanship that provides a diverse flavour profile with exceptional quality and it is a category the Australian market can now finally experience due to technological improvements in the logistic fields both in Japan and Australia. .