Sake: A beginner's guide and top recommendations

If sake is an acquired taste, then the world is divided into two kinds of people: those who have acquired the taste and those yet to acquire it.
For wine lovers especially, you will find many familiar elements in sake – similar or slightly higher alcohol levels, fruitiness ranging from floral and citrusy to savoury, earthy and tropical (but with generally much milder acidity), and diverse styles that include vibrant sparkling to sherry-like aged versions.
Our ability to identify the flavou