Omoi・karui

【English】
Heavy; light

Sake tasting terms. Omoi describes a sake perceived to be too rich and heavy, and is always used in a negative sense (in a sake context). Sake which is felt to be pleasantly light is said to be karui. Unlike its opposite number, this is not used to describe a fault, but is usually used in a positive, “easy-drinking” sense.

Sake which is robustly-flavoured but still pleasant to drink is described with expressions like shikkari shita (しっかりした, “firm”, “solid”) or koku ga aru (コクがある, “has body”). If the sake is past its peak, it is described as dareta (だれた, having  “gone slack” or “flabby”)