Sonic Decanter Experience Report

Sonic Decanter

Wine, whiskey, sake, and other alcoholic beverages can be enjoyed by "aging" them. However, this process takes years to complete and increases the price.

One day, someone who wanted to make wine even better tasting invented a machine. The name is "Sonic Decanter. The Sonic Decanter has been available for pre-order in Japan since September.

This machine is a dream come true for sake lovers, as it can "age" various types of sake in just 20 minutes. Can it really "age" sake? We went to a bar where the machine was available for a limited time to experience it for ourselves.

The opposite of "oxidation

Using the Sonic Decanter is very simple. First, fill the main unit with cold water, insert a bottle of liquor, and press the start button. This is all it takes to "age" a bottle of red wine in about 20 minutes.

In contrast to the conventional decanting process, in which wine is exposed to air, the Sonic Decanter uses ultrasonic waves to remove oxygen and produce an effect similar to aging without oxidizing the wine.

Sonic Decanter Experience
Just put it in the machine, set the timer, and wait.

Try red wine

First, try red wine. We compared three different types of red wine, aged for 0, 10, and 20 minutes (same below). The brand name was "Cono Sur Merlot Reserva," a Chilean wine that can be purchased for about 1,000 yen.

Sonic Decanter Experience Merlot
We'll start with Merlot.

Compared to the 0-minute drink, the 10- and 20-minute drinks were mellower, with less of a sticking point. The "10 minutes aged" was particularly tasty. The 10-minute aged Merlot was particularly tasty, with its gentle Merlot-like aroma more pronounced. On the other hand, the 20-minute aging seemed to be too much.

Try a $500 Chilean wine.

Next, I tried a more readily available Chilean wine, Santa. The lion is its trademark (I thought it was a cat until just now!). and can be found in supermarkets for about 500 yen. The "Santa by Santa Carolina" we used is a blend of Carmenère and Petit Verdot, a full-bodied type with firm tannins.

Sonic Decanter Experience
Many of you may drink at home.

In this case, the author preferred "0-minute aging". I found that "aged" wines lacked the acidity typical of Santa Claus. It seems that there are some wines that are suitable for aging and some that are not. In the case of red wine, I heard that it goes well with young Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Merlot.

Since the wine can be paused while checking the timer, it is good to take it out every five minutes to check the taste.

Try using it with spirits as well.

The Sonic Decanter can be used for more than just wine. According to the bartender at Bar Kasumicho Arashi (Nishiazabu, Tokyo), where the machine is being tested, whiskey is recommended.

So we compared a bottle of Dewars White Label, a popular scotch that is a staple in the United States. It is described as spicy and mild, but when it is "aged," the mildness becomes more pronounced. The harshness of the whiskey becomes lighter, making it gentle and easy to drink.

Sonic Decanter Experience
If you like smokiness, you might be a little underwhelmed.

Now the shochu. The well-known potato shochu "Kurokirishima" was interesting in its changes. When "aged", the aroma of malted rice softens and the astringency becomes mild. Especially, the "20 minutes aged" syochu liqueur was like drinking "straight syochu liqueur with the aroma of hot water. It is a strange sensation.

Sonic Decanter Experience
Shochu also changes with age.

We also tried some sake. It was a Junmai Daiginjo from "Ryusei," which tastes good both chilled and heated. It too had the mellowness and fullness of a matured sake, and even though it was not warmed, it tasted as if it had been heated.

We tried wine, whiskey, shochu, and sake, and the changes differed depending on the type and brand, making us want to try all of them. The machine was a great way to pique a sake lover's curiosity.

Slight drawback

The Sonic Decanter has a slight drawback. The water in the machine warms up during operation, so by the time it finishes "aging," the sake has warmed up a bit.

In fact, once the sake is "aged," it will never return to its original state. Sake that needs to be chilled thoroughly should be placed in the refrigerator after "aging. Also, it is said that adding ice along with water to the bottle will reduce the likelihood of the sake becoming too limp.

The shape of the bottle should also be considered. The basic bottle size is a standard 720 ml wine bottle, so if the bottle does not fit, you will have to transfer it to a different bottle.

Now you can buy it at a great price!

The crowdfunding site "Makuake" is running a campaign until October 28 for a discount from the regular price. Until the same date, you can also try it at Bar Kasumacho Arashi (Nishiazabu, Tokyo) and Bar Eterna (Ginza, Tokyo).

In fact, the Sonic Decanter is said to taste even better with a dash of soy sauce, which is the enemy of oxidation, adding depth. It is sure to expand both the enjoyment of sake and the enjoyment of food.