{"id":531,"date":"2026-06-12T00:02:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T00:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/australiansakeawards.org.au\/en\/?p=531"},"modified":"2026-06-13T03:32:06","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T03:32:06","slug":"the-2026-judging-is-complete-winning-sake-announced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/australiansakeawards.org.au\/en\/news\/531\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2026 Judging Is Complete \u2013 Winning Sake Announced"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The 5th Australian Sake Awards was held in Sydney on 16 and 17 May 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following last year’s successful event, the judging was once again conducted at Wentworth Park Sporting Complex in Ultimo, a precinct known as a hub for education, technology and media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Entries opened earlier this year and attracted 204 sake products from breweries across Japan as well as importers and distributors operating in Australia and overseas. In addition to sake entries, the Awards also introduced a new Umeshu category for the first time, further expanding the scope of the competition. Interest from breweries and industry participants continues to grow each year, resulting in a diverse range of sake and umeshu styles being represented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year’s judging panel consisted of experienced Australian industry professionals, including sommeliers, sake importers and retailers, hospitality professionals, and certified sake specialists. Alongside returning judges from previous years, a number of new judges participated, bringing fresh perspectives to the evaluation process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Australian Sake Awards was also honoured to welcome Dr. Muneyoshi Kanai from Japan’s National Research Institute of Brewing as a guest judge. Prior to the judging, Dr. Kanai delivered an online educational session for the judging panel, sharing his expertise and insights. During the Awards, he played an important role by providing guidance and contributing to discussions throughout the judging process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As in previous years, judges worked in groups of six to seven around round tables, evaluating entries while exchanging opinions and observations. This judging format, introduced in 2023, has been highly regarded by participants for encouraging discussion and making the process more accessible for first-time judges, particularly during the food matching assessments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2026 judging categories were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n