François Chartier, the Canadian-born aroma specialist and “créateur d’harmonies” is shaking up the art of making sake in Japan. Until now, the idea of blending has never been part of Japan’s sake culture, as it is with Champagne, great wines, whiskies, sherries and port. But François Chartier is changing that, by introducing high-end quality and luxury sake blends.

After spending a week at the Tanaka Sake Brewery in early 2018, he was surprised to learn that the art of blending is not used anywhere in Japan to improve sake. Chartier tried some blending experiments onsite, and the Tanaka team was surprised to find that his blends enhanced their different sakes.

He was immediately hired as Tanaka’s new master blender to work alongside the toji or master brewer. At the same time, the brewery was renamed Tanaka 1789 to celebrate 230 years of making hand-crafted additive-free sake.