Entry
Entry Requirement for competition sake
Schedule for Competition Sake Entry
| Entry Period | 4th January to 29th February, 2024 |
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| Sake receipt date | 18th March to 22nd March, 2024 (to designated warehouse in Japan) |
| Judging day | 18th May to 19th May, 2024 |
| Award-winning sake announcement | 10th June, 2024 |
| Awards ceremony | 26th September 2024 |
Entry Subject
Sake that can be entered is limited to legally licensed products to be produced and sold in Australia or is scheduled to be sold in Australia this year.
Entry Procedure
Entry Procedure
| 1. Application period | Thursday, 4 January to Thursday, 29 February, 2024 |
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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. The payment should be made simultaneously with the entry, futhermore, 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: For further details, individual notifications will be sent via email 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. Fruity / Floral |
In this category, the focus is on sakes with characteristics such as big aromas of either fruits or flowers, a balanced sweetness with some fruit following through on the palate. |
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| 2. Elegant / Clean |
For this category, sakes with some light and delicate aromas and flavours, clean taste, but with structure, gentle finish. |
| 3. Savoury / Full bodied |
For this category, sakes with a savoury aroma, less fruit, more umami, good balance and structure, full-bodied sake, rounded. |
| 4. Mature / Complex |
This category is open to sakes with a full body and complexity that do not fit into the above categories. We are looking for sakes with complexity and harmony on the palate, a big, bold flavour and aroma. |
| 5. Sparkling | In this category, it encompasses all types of sparkling Japanese sake. |
* Note: There is no limit to the number of entries per company (brewery).
* For sparkling sake, please submit your entry in 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 emphasize the exceptional compatibility of the sake with a carefully selected array of five ingredients and dishes commonly enjoyed by Australians when they have any alcohol.
For each sake entry in the Regular Competition, choose the food category below that you believe complements it best.
| 1. Cooked Prawns |
An essential item on Australian tables, boiled prawns are widely available, from restaurants to retail outlets. In Australia, it is common to savour the natural flavour of prawns without additional seasoning, allowing the true taste of the prawns to be enjoyed. |
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| 2. Charcuterie Board (cheddar, brie, salami, olives, crackers) |
A commonly ordered appetizer plate in restaurants, featuring a selection of ingredients suitable for pairing with Japanese sake. Comprising "Two kinds of cheese (fragrant), salami (salty), olives (acidic), and crackers. |
| 3. Pizza Margherita |
Pizza, a staple in Australian cuisine, is particularly familiar in its classic Margherita form with tomato sauce, enjoyed as an everyday favourite. |
| 4. BBQ Aussie Beef Steak with Salt and Pepper |
In Australia's BBQ culture, a popular meat dish is the Aussie beef steak, featuring simple seasoning, commonly enjoyed for its robust flavours. |
| 5. Grilled Salmon with Butter and Lemon |
A classic among fish dishes, showcasing the beloved salmon in Australia. This signature dish is skilfully crafted with the lively tang of lemon and the subtle richness of butter. |
* Entry restrictions: For each sake entry submitted to the Regular Competition, you can select from 0 to 2 categories (max) within the available food categories.
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 room where the sake is judged is windless, out of direct sunlight and at a temperature of around 20°C. The temperature of the sake is approximately 12°C to 14°C, with the exception of sparkling sake, which is judged in the range of approximately 5°C to 7°C. The glasses used are wine glasses.
Each judge tastes approximately 50 different types of sake on the day of the competition and assigns a score to each sake entry.
The evaluation method is an 10-point scoring system. The highest scoring sake from each category is selected.
Regular Competition:
- Platinum Award：the top-ranked sake in each regular competition category is selected.
- Gold Award：top 20% of the total number of sakes entered in each regular competition category.
- Sessionable Award：top 10% of the total number of sakes voted by judges
Food Matching Competition:
- Best Food Matching Award：the top-ranked sake in each food matching category is selected.
- Recommended Food Matching Award：top 20% of the total number of sakes entered in each food matching category.
* "Sessionable" is a unique concept based on Australian drinking culture, emphasizing the "drinkability" of a beverage. Evaluated against criteria such as "easy to drink," "smooth to consume," and "suitable for prolonged drinking throughout the evening," it assesses sakes that are likely to be favoured by Australians, providing a casual and enjoyable experience for the drinker. This evaluation applies to all entries.
Award Results
Judging results will be announced on the competition's official website on 10th June 2024.
Each brewery will be notified by email.
About the Award Ceremony
The awards ceremony will be held on 26th September 2024 in Sydney, New South Wales.
Participation in the awards ceremony is optional.
Attendance at the award ceremony is optional, and participation is open to all concerned parties.
The ceremony will be streamed live on Zoom.
Please see the scene of the award ceremony for 2023 here.
Comments by Judges
The judging score and comments by the judges for each entry will be sent to you by email after the judging. The comments will basically be provided in English, but if you wish to have them translated, please request this at an additional cost.
- Translation cost: AU$50 per sake
- Number of jury comments: 10-20 comments
About Certificates and Award Items
The items presented to the award recipients as official commemorative items for this accolade are as follows.
- Certificate
- Bottle Neck POPs
- Medal Seals
If you attend the awards ceremony, the award will be presented during the event. If you are unable to attend, it will be sent to you at a later date.
We will provide the official logo data and medal data for download. Please feel free to utilize them for future promotions and marketing activities.
We hope they prove valuable for sales promotion and marketing initiatives.
