Back in May I wrote a blog about Super Sake Boy and I taking the WSET Level 3 Award in Sake course and examination. You can read the blog here. At the time we knew we would have to wait eight to ten weeks to receive our results. It occurred to me when I re-read said blog, I had not shared the results of the exam.
Only 65% of people who sit this qualification are successful, and I am happy to report that both Super Sake Boy and myself did pass. I was very satisfied with my Pass with Merit, for both sections of the exam, written and blind tasting. Of course being a complete sake geek, who reads lengthy articles about koji mould for fun, and who is not your average bear in intelligence, Super Sake Boy aced the test with a Pass with Distinction in both sections. Such a sake smart-ass…. Not really.
We both worked really hard for this result and have found the reaction of people, particularly in Japan, quite amusing. When Japanese people find out we are qualified as sake sommeliers they are initially confused and then generally delighted that foreigners have taken such an interest in their culture. Sake is slowly recovering from its unfortunate fall from grace, from the national drink, to the drink of old men. It became very uncool, (and un-Western) to drink sake for some time in Japan. However, with an injection of small, craft brewers and young toji (head brewers) taking risks and mixing it up, sake is beginning to enjoy a resurgence in popularity. We are very grateful that we found sake as a common interest at this time, as exciting things are happening in the sake world.
