I loved going through the Namazake Paul Advent Calendar last year in 2021, and the Sake Advent Calendar is back and better for 2022. The calendar is huge – because it features at least one sake cup sized prize behind each door (an even more special larger portion for Christmas Eve!). The box is massive – here’s my cat for a little scale, as well as a few detail shots about the cute calendar art.
I peeked under the cover for this overhead shot of the 2022 Sake Advent Calendar so you can also see the new improved packaging in case you are shipping it as a gift to a loved one or yourself if you can’t do a local pick-up. 2022 offers 180ml cups of sake plus one full-size bottle for Christmas Eve – over four liters of sake. 
The little glasses can be washed and reused for flowers or herbs (I extend green onions with a cup myself), candles, water glasses that you can easily distinguish between guests, and if you want to try warm sake heated up in a pot of hot water or microwaved without the metal top. Several of the sakes are ones not easily found at stores, and some, hand-chosen and imported for the first time from Japan by Namazake Paul. Note: The glasses below are from last year’s 2021 calendar so may not reflect what is in this year’s calendar. I haven’t started sipping from the 2022 calendar yet! 
If you or your gift recipient are not familiar with sake types no problem – this year the 2022 Sake Advent Calendar includes a handbook and you can join a Facebook group where you and other Sake Calendar owners can post in a community specifically about the sake each day. And added this year there will be an online event with a Japanese sake maker with translator!
Every major brewing style of sake is represented, including Futsu-shu, Honjozo, Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo, Namachozo, Yamahai, Kimoto and Nigori. Twelve of the sake have never been imported before. The Namazake Paul Advent Calendar is an excellent foodie gift in its uniqueness, educational and community component if you’re looking to treat yourself or someone you care about. You can arrange to pick it up locally here in Portland, or it ships nationally. The packing is done carefully for each cup- here’s a look behind door 1 of the calendar this year. 
If you are not familiar with Namazake Paul, he is a sake connoisseur here in Portland who imports all kinds of sake, many never seen in restaurants or stores. A newsletter goes out each month highlighting the newest offerings, especially his selection of seasonal sake. I find his tasting notes very approachable even to new sake drinkers, and it’s kinda crazy the sake database that’s in his head! It’s refreshing to try a sake and take a break from wine, beer, and liquor – the pairings can be pretty mind blowing, especially with cheese. If you visit his website right now during the holiday season he is focused on selling cases but usually there are individual bottle selections to make your own set. Even if you don’t buy immediately sign up to see the bottles, sake brewer talks, local tastings, sake classes and other news from Namazake Paul.
Paul has been working on the sake advent calendar all year and put a lot of love in it – I thought last year was pretty incredible and look forward to the sake adventures this year.
Happy Holidays!
2021 vs 2022 calendar – cat for scale
Speak Your Mind