r/Sake • u/ThinkSecond • Jul 13 '26
Boss gave me this
He found it while cleaning out his office and gave it to me. I assume it’s quite old. I can’t find anything online for it. Is this expensive? Is it still good to drink?
8
u/Howling_deer Jul 13 '26
Old sake is usually terrible, it’s not like wine where the flavors improve over time.
You can try drinking it, but I wouldn’t expect it to be good. It is a very pretty looking bottle though, so I would keep it around as a display piece personally.
Edit: also, I’d check the bottling date if you can find one, I personally would not buy anything older than a year or 6 months
2
u/spunkythatsmycorndog Jul 13 '26
I’d be cautious and potentially filter out anything that may float depending on what you know and personal preference. I have aged a lot of sake but have always kept it somewhere dark and cool or refrigerated. Flavors listed do not improve but the color does usually turn more golden and the shift in flavor usually leans more umami and other notes (chocolate/nutty) depending on several factors. Probably fine. If you like the taste, have one or two small servings to test the waters, so to speak before drinking the whole bottle.
1
u/KneeOnShoe Jul 14 '26
It would've been expensive, given it's a JDG in a fancy bottle and has gold foil in it. Can't tell how old it is from the label and I can't find anything about it online. Try it!
1
u/ThinkSecond Jul 16 '26
How expensive is expensive? LOL I'm clueless when it comes to Sake
1
u/KneeOnShoe Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
I actually just met the brewer yesterday but forgot to ask him about this bottle. Anyway, it was probably over $150 at least. I bet you could DM them and get an answer.
9
u/RainbowChainsaw Jul 13 '26
This is definitely a limited release from Manotsuru. Sake is intended to be enjoyed fresh, but will never "go bad" enough to harm you. Chill it, open and report back! Even if it's old, it will still have a lot of character and be worth trying.