Following last year’s success, we are pleased to announce the return of the Luxembourg Sake Challenge. First held in 2022, this event has provides a valuable opportunity to demonstrate how well Japanese sake is received and appreciated in Luxembourg and across Western Europe. As we mark the third year of this competition, we’re looking forward to attracting even more sake breweries by maximising the unique charm of Luxembourg!
Geographic Convenience
Luxembourg boasts an ideal location surrounded by Belgium, Germany, and France, serving as a central hub with inroads across Europe. This advantageous position allows many Sake Sommeliers, buyers and experts from neighbouring countries to gather and evaluate Japanese sake. This level of international diversity in judging is a unique element of the Luxembourg Sake Challenge, with judges and guests representing a huge variety of countries & cultures.
A Country of Multicultural Coexistence
With a huge number of immigrants (making up over 50% of the country’s population), Luxembourg is a unique country where multiple cultures coexist and meld. This diversity fosters a heightened interest new & novel experiences, including Japanese sake. With a well-established gourmet culture, not only is Japanese sake already popular, but so are dishes using Japanese ingredients.
Economic Strength and High-Quality Consumption
Luxembourg is known as a financial hub and economic powerhouse. With high purchasing power, especially geared towards gourmet food and alcoholic beverages, it ranks among the top in the EU. This market environment makes Luxembourg a highly attractive new market for Japanese sake.
International Judges
Sake Sommeliers from Luxembourg, as well as from other European countries such as Belgium, Germany, France, and the UK, will gather to judge the competition. Adding an international perspective allows for a more objective and multifaceted evaluation, providing each sake brewery with a unique opportunity to showcase its sake to a global audience.
Expanding the Culture of Japanese Sake
Building on last year’s success, interest in Japanese sake continues to boom. This year, we aim to further spread the charm of Japanese sake in Luxembourg, providing locals with the opportunity to experience its taste.
Organizer’s Trust and Achievements
The Luxembourg Sake Challenge (LUXSC) is co-organised by GLOBAL LINK SARL and the Sake Sommelier Association. Global Link, imports and sells Japanese sake and runs Sake Sommelier educational programs in Luxembourg. We are proud to announce that the LUXSC 2024 will be held at the Japanese Ambassador’s Residence in Luxembourg. Under the expertise and passion of Ms. Makiko Gräfin von Oberndorff and Mr. Yves-Martin Boisclair, both experts in the market, your sake will be showcased on the world stage.
Yves-Martin Boisclair
Makiko Gräfin von Oberndorff
We cordially invite you to participate in the Luxembourg Sake Challenge 2024. We look forward to helping your sake spread across Luxembourg and throughout Europe! We eagerly await your participation.
Geographic Convenience
Luxembourg boasts an ideal location surrounded by Belgium, Germany, and France, serving as a central hub with inroads across Europe. This advantageous position allows many Sake Sommeliers, buyers and experts from neighbouring countries to gather and evaluate Japanese sake. This level of international diversity in judging is a unique element of the Luxembourg Sake Challenge, with judges and guests representing a huge variety of countries & cultures.
A Country of Multicultural Coexistence
With a huge number of immigrants (making up over 50% of the country’s population), Luxembourg is a unique country where multiple cultures coexist and meld. This diversity fosters a heightened interest new & novel experiences, including Japanese sake. With a well-established gourmet culture, not only is Japanese sake already popular, but so are dishes using Japanese ingredients.
Economic Strength and High-Quality Consumption
Luxembourg is known as a financial hub and economic powerhouse. With high purchasing power, especially geared towards gourmet food and alcoholic beverages, it ranks among the top in the EU. This market environment makes Luxembourg a highly attractive new market for Japanese sake.
Known for its advanced economy, award-winning wines and diverse cuisine, Luxembourg is attracting attention as an exciting new market for sake, not least because the amount of money spent on alcoholic beverages by citizens is the highest in Europe.
Taking advantage of its proximity to Belgium, Germany, and France, the Luxembourg Sake Challenge will bring together qualified sake sommeliers from neighbouring countries bringing an international perspective to the competition and broadening the reach of sake.
Luxembourg Sake Challenge was held for the first time in 2022. In light of last year’s success, Luxembourg Sake Challenge will take place again for the second consecutive year. As it was the first sake competition in Luxembourg, last year’s event attracted loads of attention. We received a great response after the event, with locals becoming even more interested in sake! “We want to expand the possibilities of connecting sake with locals”, said our Luxembourg Sake Challenge hosts when announcing the 2024 edition of the event!
With a large multicultural population and more Japanese restaurants and shops opening in the city, we can expect that sake and Japanese wine will continue to grow in popularity in Luxembourg.
This year’s challenge will be held at the official residence of the Japanese Ambassador in Luxembourg. The event is organised by GLOBAL LINK SARL – a Japanese sake importer, distributor and educator in Luxembourg – and will be led by passionate and knowledgeable sake educators, Yves Martin Beauclair and Makiko Graefin von Ovendorf, who are familiar with the Luxembourg market.
The Luxembourg Sake Challenge is an unprecedented opportunity for breweries to launch into new regional markets and to further sow the seeds of sake across the globe.
Yves-Martin Boisclair
Makiko Gräfin von Oberndorff
