Ato-aji

【English】
Aftertaste

The flavours that remain after sake has been swallowed. The expression refers not to sweet, sour and such individual tastes, but rather the sensation after swallowing and the general balance of flavour.

When there is a good, strong aftertaste, the expression oshi-aji is used (oshi-aji ga aru). The quality of the aftertaste is often described with the terms kire and sabake. Kire, from the verb to cut, describes a crisp, clean finish or aftertaste. Sabake comes from a verb describing a well-draining piece of land, and so also describes an aftertaste without lingering, cloying flavours. Both expressions are used with yoi/warui (good/bad). Sake described with the phrase sabake (kire) ga yoi has a good, crisp aftertaste; sabake (kire) ga warui expresses the opposite. Another expression for the finish of sake with a firm aftertaste without lingering intrusive flavours is pin. The harmony of ama, kara, pin (sweet, dry and “pin”) is considered one of the conditions for fine sake.