Japanese drinks make wonderful presents. They feel special, they’re a little out of the ordinary, and there’s a bottle to suit almost everyone, from the wine lover who’s never tried sake to the whisky fan looking for something new. The tricky part is knowing where to start.
This guide walks you through the main styles, what they taste like and who they suit, so you can choose with confidence. Plus, everything here is available from The Wasabi Company, along with the sakeware and gift sets that make a bottle easy to give.
Sake: A gift for wine lovers and curious drinkers
Sake is brewed from steamed rice, water and koji – a mould that turns the starch in the rice into sugar that can then be fermented. Depending on the style, it can be light, crisp and fruity, with notes of melon and pear, or rich and savoury, with a satisfying umami depth that’s wonderful with food.
Understanding the main styles of sake
Junmai sake is made from rice, water, yeast and koji alone. It tends to be fuller-bodied and savoury, which makes it a great match for food.
Ginjo and daiginjo are made with more highly polished rice, giving lighter, more aromatic sake with a delicate, fruity finish.
Nigori is cloudy and creamy, and its soft texture makes it a friendly first sake.
Sparkling sake is fresh and lively, and perfect for a celebration.
Which is the best Japanese sake for gifts?
Start with what they already enjoy. A white wine drinker will love a fragrant daiginjo such as Konishi Gold, with its clean, floral finish. For a party, the gently sparkling Shirayuki de Ai makes a cheerful alternative to prosecco. And if you’re not sure, our Sake Selection is a Japanese sake gift set that puts four different styles side by side, so they can taste the differences and find a favourite of their own.
For a gift they’ll keep long after the bottle is finished, pair the sake with something to serve it in. Our Stream and Konishi Gold sets each arrive with four sake cups, and our sakeware ranges from porcelain carafes to handmade cups.
Umeshu: Sweet, tart and easy to love
Umeshu is sometimes sold in the UK as plum wine or plum sake, but it’s actually a liqueur, made by steeping Japanese ume fruit with sugar in alcohol. Our Kodakara umeshu combines Nanko plums from Yamagata with Junmai Daiginjo sake and shochu, giving a rich, almost jammy plum flavour balanced by a bright, refreshing tartness.
Serve it well chilled, over ice or topped with soda for an easy aperitif. If they enjoy umeshu, our wider range of Japanese liqueurs includes zesty yuzushu, a warming ginger liqueur made with ginger from Kochi, and fruit-led releases such as white peach and cherry, or yamabudo, made with Japanese wild mountain grape, with its dark, fragrant fruit. They’re a lovely choice for anyone who prefers something lighter and sweeter than a spirit, and you’ll find them all in our umeshu collection.
Shochu and awamori: For spirit lovers
Shochu is a Japanese distilled spirit, stronger than sake and made from ingredients such as barley, sweet potato or rice, each of which gives it a different character. Awamori is Okinawa’s own distilled rice spirit, with a style all of its own. Both can be enjoyed neat, over ice or with water, which makes them a great gift for someone who enjoys whisky or a good aged rum.
Explore our Japanese spirits to find the right bottle.
Our own Japanese-inspired craft spirits
Four spirits carry our own label, each built around a Japanese ingredient and distilled in England. Shiso Gin is a London dry made with purple shiso grown in Dorset, with yuzu and sudachi adding a fresh citrus lift. Sansho Spiced Rum pairs peppery, citrusy sansho with smoky soy, sesame and Okinawan sugar, and was awarded 3 Gold Stars at the Great Taste Awards. Yuzucello is sharp and perfumed, whilst Wasabi Vodka brings a clean heat that clears quickly.
Our Spirit of Japan set gathers all four in 5cl bottles – a fantastic way to let someone discover their favourite. For a gift that’s ready to pour, our sake sets and cocktail sets pair Shiso Gin with Devon tonic, Sansho Spiced Rum with organic cola, and Yuzucello with sparkling wine and soda.
Matching the drink to the person
If you’re still deciding, think about what they usually reach for. Wine lovers tend to enjoy fragrant daiginjo or sparkling sake. Gin and tonic fans will love Shiso Gin with Devon tonic, and anyone with a sweet tooth will be happy with a bottle of umeshu. Whisky and rum drinkers often appreciate the depth of shochu, awamori or our Sansho Spiced Rum. And if you have no idea at all, a tasting set lets them explore and decide for themselves.
Serving and storing Japanese drinks
Delicate daiginjo and sparkling sake are best served chilled to keep their aromas fresh, whilst fuller, rice-forward sake is delicious when gently warmed – but never boil it, as body temperature is plenty. Once opened, reseal the bottle, keep it in the fridge and enjoy it within a week or two. Our umeshu, yuzushu and ginger liqueur should also be refrigerated after opening and will keep for up to three weeks.
The date printed on a bottle of sake is usually the production date rather than a best-before date, so store unopened bottles upright and away from light.
Find the perfect Japanese drinks gift
Whatever they love to drink, there’s something in our range of Japanese alcohol gifts to delight them, from fragrant sake to our own award-winning spirits. For more inspiration, read our guide on how to build a Japanese food hamper, or browse our selection of authentic Japanese and Japanese-inspired recipes.
