SkyCity’s MASU has partnered with New Zealand’s first and only sake brewery to produce a new and exclusive sake.
Based in Queenstown, Zenkuro – meaning All Black – is the brainchild of David Joll, a Kiwi who spent 15 years living and working in Japan. “I’ve decided to brew a ‘Muroka Nama Genshu’ – it’s undiluted, unfiltered, and unpasteurised,” said Joll. “It’ll be the first time for this style of sake to be produced in New Zealand. I’m sure this is going to match perfectly with the beautiful food at MASU restaurant.”
Zenkuro’s cloudy sake was brewed with the assistance of restaurateur Nic Watt and restaurant manager Fumi Nakatani, and launched at an edition of Natakani’s evening class, Fumi’s Sake Club. “I have a responsibility to spread sake culture and knowledge of sake in New Zealand as a certified Wine and Spirit Education Trust sake educator,” Natakani told Hotel Magazine. “Fumi’s Sake Club is very casual and offers an entry-level knowledge for people who want to start learning about sake.”
Though the new sake is available exclusively at MASU, Zenkuro produces a number of sakes to cater for the growing sake market in New Zealand. The company recently partnered with the Rugby World Cup to produce a commemorative Kiwi sake available in Japan later this year.
