Discussing flavors and aromas can be difficult at times as we all have different tolerances and palates. You may or may not be able to taste or smell what I do and vice versa. Flavors and aromas really depends on the breweries, brands, where it’s made, etc. There are 4 basic words to describe the taste of sake; rich (Hojun / 芳醇)and clean (Tanrei / 淡麗) for flavor, and fragrant (Hanayaka / 華やか)and moderate (Odayaka / 穏やか) for aroma. ‘Rich’ is used for heaviness, thick texture, savoriness, full-body, high acidity and sweetness, whereas ‘Clean’ is used for smooth texture and light body. As for aroma, ‘Fragrant’ is for fruity, floral, and other types of distinct aromas. On the other hand, ‘Moderate’ is used for little aromas. In this section we'll learn about general flavors and aromas commonly found.