Date: Monday, 28th September 2026 @ 7.30pm
Venue: Lysses House Hotel, 51 High Street, Fareham, PO16 7BQ
Join us for an exclusive Akashi-Tai Japanese Sake Tasting on Monday, 28th September 2026 at 7.30 pm, hosted by Akashi’s Global Brand Ambassador Miho Komatsu, at Lysses House Hotel on the High Street in Fareham.
Discover the art of premium, artisanal Japanese sake as we explore a handpicked selection from the historic Akashi Sake Brewery, a renowned kura celebrated for its centuries-old traditional brewing methods and small-batch craftsmanship. From crisp, refreshing Sparkling Sake and complex Junmai Daiginjo to vibrant, fruit-infused Yuzushu and Umeshu, this guided tasting offers local enthusiasts a rare opportunity to experience the true depth and provenance of authentic Japanese sake right here in Hampshire.
It may seem unusual, but when we asked Miho what finger foods pair best with sake, her response was cheese! So, included in the price of your ticket, we will serve a small plate of cheese and accompaniments to complement the various sakes that we will be sampling.
Akashi-Tai Honjozu Tokubetsu Gohyakumangoku Sake 15% 72cl
Akashi-Tai Junmai Tokubetsu Yamadanishiki Sake 15% 72cl
Akashi-Tai Daiginjo Genshu Yamadanishiki Sake 17% 72cl
Akashi-Tai Junmai Daiginjo Genshu Yamadanishiki Sake 16% 72cl
Akashi-Tai Junmai Ginjo Sparkling Sake 7% 72cl
Akashi-Tai Ginjo Yuzushu (Yuzu Infused Sake) 10% 50cl Bottle
Akashi-Tai Shiraume Ginjo Umeshu (Plum Infused Sake) 14% 50cl Bottle
The Akashi Sake Brewery was founded in 1886 in the town of Akashi, one of the major fishing ports in western Japan. The brewery takes its name from the town (Akashi) and the sea bream (Tai), for which the region is famous and which proudly features on its labels. Local conditions are ideal for sake production, with fertile soils perfect for growing high-quality rice and an abundant supply of pure spring water.
While the brewery has modernised over the years and expanded into other products such as shochu, it remains a small, artisanal “kura”. Under the leadership of its current president, Kimio Yonezawa, Akashi-Tai focuses on producing the finest possible sake. Yonezawa emphasises the use of top-quality rice and relies heavily on careful sensory analysis to ensure quality and consistency, rather than depending on high-tech solutions.
The sake is brewed using traditional equipment and methods, crafted by hand in small batches, much as it has been for centuries. However, the brewery does embrace select modern technology that improves quality, such as temperature-controlled fermentation. They also own the Kaikyо̄ Distillery, which produces Hatozaki Japanese Whisky and Hyogo 135 East Gin.
A great evening!
Last night’s Akashi-Tai Sake Tasting was a real success. A well-attended room at Lysses House Hotel filled with curious drinkers, from committed sake fans to people trying it for the first time.
Much of the credit goes to our host, Akashi-Tai’s Global Brand Ambassador Miho Komatsu. She was warm, knowledgeable and generous with her expertise, guiding the room through the Akashi Sake Brewery’s story and the differences between each style. Her explanations of polishing ratios, rice varieties and brewing methods made a sometimes daunting subject easy to follow, and the questions kept coming all evening (she has promised to return for a tasting of Hatozaki Whisky and 135 East Gin!).
The cheese pairing, Miho’s own suggestion for the best match with sake, went down well too. It showed how well the sakes work with food. Tasting sake alongside different cheeses surprised a lot of the room. The cheese complemented the different styles well, and it gave guests some ideas for pairing sake at home.
The line-up ran from the crisp Junmai Ginjo Sparkling Sake through to the Daiginjo and Junmai Daiginjo, so guests could see how much range a single brewery offers. Miho also told the story of the Akashi Sake Brewery, founded in 1886 and still a small, hand-crafted kura. Its labels carry the sea bream (tai) that the town is famous for.
The most expensive sake tasted was also the biggest seller of the night. The Akashi-Tai Junmai Daiginjo Genshu Yamadanishiki Sake 16% 72cl is the top of the range, and it won over the room. The two next most popular where the “liqueur sakes”, the plum-infused Akashi-Tai Shiraume Ginjo Umeshu and the Yuzu-flavoured Akashi-Tai Ginjo Yuzushu. The Umeshu has a lovely, natural sweetness and can be used in place of a dessert wine (try it with mince pies), whilst one of the cocktail enthusiasts attending said he would use the yuzushu in place of lemon juice in cocktails.
A big thank you to everyone who came, and especially to Miho for a memorable evening. If you missed it, the Akashi-Tai range is available in store and online, and keep an eye on our events page for our next tasting.
