Three-point method (Santenho)

The three-point method (santenho) is a tasting technique used to determine whether two different sakes can be told apart. In this method, the taster is presented with three samples: two of Sake A and one of Sake B. The taster is then asked to identify which sake is the different one. This format is used because it reduces sensory bias and allows differences in taste and aroma to be evaluated more objectively. The three-point method is particularly useful when evaluating sake, and it is widely used to gauge consumer preferences and to obtain assessments from professionals.