Entry
Entry Requirement for competition sake
Schedule for Competition Sake Entry
| Entry Period | Monday, 6 January to Friday, 28 February 2025 |
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| Sake receipt date | Friday, 21 March to Tuesday, 25 March 2025 (to designated warehouse in Japan) |
| Judging day | Saturday, 17 May to Sunday, 18 May 2025 |
| Award-winning sake announcement | Friday, 13 June 2025 |
| Gala Dinner | Thursday, 25 September 2025 |
Entry Subject
Sake that can be entered is limited to legally licensed products to be produced and sold in import and wholesale market or are scheduled to be sold in Australia this year.
[Notice]
If exporters, importers or wholesalers wish to exhibit, please ensure that you have obtained prior consent from the original producer or brewery. Please be aware that our company cannot be held responsible for any issues arising from exhibitions conducted without proper authorization.
Entry Procedure
Entry Procedure
| 1. Application period | Monday, 6 January to Friday, 28 February 2025 |
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| 2. How to enter |
Please prepare all essential company information, details about the exhibited sake, and your credit card for payment. Once ready, proceed with the registration through the entry form below. Payment should be made at the time of registration, and only card payments will be accepted.(Visa、Master Card、American Express、JCB) |
| 3. Sending of exhibited sake |
For entries from Japan:
For submissions within Australia: Further details will be provided through individual email notifications from the association after the entry process. Proceed to Entry*All information you provide will be used officially for future announcements and information releases exactly as entered. Therefore, please enter your information carefully to avoid any mistakes. Please note that if there are errors in the information you provide, we cannot take responsibility for them, so please be aware of this in advance. |
Competition Category
Beginning with this year's competition, the judging panel will employ two evaluation methods: "Regular Competition" and "Food Matching Competition".
Rather than categorising sake types based on labels, this unique competition focuses on the characteristics of each sake and its compatibility with food. This approach aims to delve even deeper into the preferences of Australians and the Australian market.
Both the "Regular Competition" and "Food Matching Competition“ consists of five categories.
1. Regular Competition
In the Regular Competition, please select the most suitable category from the following list for each sake entry and enter it.
This assessment is structured into categories that broadly classify the characteristics of each sake into five groups, regardless of the label notation of the sake type.
Category descriptions and references for sake types are provided below
| 1. Sparkling | This category includes all types of sparkling Japanese sake. |
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| 2. Light / Dry |
This category focuses on sake characterised by a clean, dry finish, subtle to almost no aroma, and a light taste and body. |
| 3. Light / Fragrant |
This category focuses on sake characterised by delicate aromas and flavours of fruits, flowers, herbs, or steamed rice, with a light yet fragrant profile that is soft and gentle on the palate. |
| 4. Rich / Fruity |
This category focuses on sake with prominent aromas, such as those of Junmai (banana, tropical fruits, ripe fruits), and a rich, layered flavour profile. |
| 5. Rich / Savoury |
This category focuses on sake with deep and savoury flavours, displaying good umami, complexity and layered characteristics. |
* Note: There is no limit to the number of entries per company (brewery).
* For sparkling sake, please submit your entry under the Sparkling category.
* Nama-zake and Namagenshu are limited to those that can be distributed at room temperature.
2. Food Matching Competition
This assessment will emphasise the exceptional compatibility of the sake with carefully selected ingredients that will make up 5 food dishes commonly enjoyed alongside alcoholic beverages by a large proportion of Australian consumers.
For each sake entry in the Regular Competition, choose the food category below that you believe complements it best.
| 1. Vietnamese Beef Salad with Vermicelli (mild chilli/spice) |
This light and fresh Vietnamese-style salad features thinly sliced beef, vermicelli (rice noodles), fresh vegetables, and herbs. The dressing, made with fish sauce and mild chili, offers a sweet, tangy flavour with a subtle spiciness. |
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| 2. Grilled Barramundi and Broccolini with Butter Sauce |
Grilled barramundi, a white fish commonly enjoyed in Australia, and broccolini, a vegetable with a slender shape and softer texture than regular broccoli, are delicately finished with a buttery sauce. This creates a simple yet flavourful dish with a deep taste. |
| 3. Fried Chicken / Karaage |
This popular fried dish made with chicken is loved in Japan and around the world. |
| 4. Spaghetti Napoletana (tomato base) |
This simple pasta dish features tomato sauce, garlic, olive oil, and basil. It is characterised by the tangy sweetness of the tomatoes, which pair perfectly with the spaghetti. |
| 5. Mushroom Pizza (white base / no tomato) |
This pizza is made without the use of any tomato base, instead, the dough/bread base is brushed with olive oil and topped with mushrooms, garlic, dried herbs and cheese. Cooked to a light crust, this pizza will offer rich and umami driven flavours. |
For each sake entry submitted to the Regular Competition, you may select a maximum of two categories from the available options.
* Entry into the Food Matching Competition is not mandatory.
Entry Registration Fee
AU$330 per entry
* The fee includes both Regular competition and Food Matching Competition.
* The entry fee covers competition management expenses, certificate production costs, as well as promotional and advertising activities. Additionally, in the case of 'Shipping from Japan,' it includes the cost of shipping from the specified warehouse in Japan to Australia.
* Participants are responsible for the domestic shipping costs, whether within Japan from the specified domestic location or within Australia from the designated submission location.
* Please prepare 720ml x 2 bottles or 500ml x 3 bottles for judging (equivalent to 1,500ml). For sake samples, please ensure compliance with the designated labelling rules that is mandatory to adhere to the labelling regulations for alcoholic beverages as specified in Australia.
Payment
The payment should be made simultaneously with the entry.
Please note that once the registration fee has been paid, it is non-refundable under any circumstances. (This includes situations where the competition cannot be held due to prior disasters, unavoidable accidents, etc.)
Judging / Award Method
Judging Method
Blind contest format (no brands or labels are visible to the jury).
On the day of the competition, the judging room is windless, free from direct sunlight, and maintained at a temperature of around 20°C. The sake will be served at a temperature of around 12°C to 14°C, except for sparkling sake and Light / Dry category sake, which are judged at approximately 5°C to 7°C. Wine glasses are used for tasting.
Each judge evaluates approximately 50 different types of sake during the competition and assigns a score to each sake entry using a 20-point scoring system. The highest scoring sake from each category will be selected.
The evaluation method is an 10-point scoring system. The highest scoring sake from each category is selected.
Regular Competition:
- Platinum Award: Awarded to the top-ranked sake in each regular competition category.
- Gold Award: Awarded to the top 20% of the total entries in each regular competition category.
- Judge's Choice Award: Awarded to the top 10% of entries as voted by the judges.
Food Matching Competition:
- Best Food Matching Award: Awarded to the top-ranked sake in each food matching category.
- Recommended Food Matching Award: Awarded to the top 20% of entries in each food matching category.
Award Results
Judging results will be announced on the competition's official website on Friday, 13 June 2025. Each brewery will also be notified by email.
Each brewery will be notified by email.
About the Gala Dinner
The gala dinner will be held on Thursday, 25 September 2025, in Sydney, New South Wales.
Participation in the gala dinner is optional and open to all interested parties.
About Certificates and Award Items
The following items will be presented to the award recipients as official commemorative items for this accolade:
- Certificate
- Bottle Neck POPs
Additionally, we will provide the official logo and medal data for download. Feel free to use them for future promotions and marketing activities. We hope they will be valuable for your sales and marketing initiatives.
