A cube of frozen coffee is placed into a glass with a satisfying clink. Then another, and another, before a chilled sake is poured over the top. The brainchild of Marie Chiba, owner of renowned sake bar Gem by Moto, the 27-second video caused quite a stir on Twitter in late May.
Less than two months later, Simone Maynard, an Australia-based sake consultant and private educator, watched with astonishment during an online event as Kuniko Mukai of Mukai Brewery heated an unusual, umami-rich black rice sake and then poured it over a bowl of vanilla ice cream in a pairing inspired by affogato.
“Despite not really being an ice cream fan... I was pleasantly surprised,” wrote Maynard. “The maltiness and umami character of this sake blended so well with the flavor and texture of the vanilla ice cream.”