Roku Suntory | Japanese | Craft | Gin | Crisp | Cherry Blossom, Yuzu and Sansho Pepper | Crafted With Six Distinctive Japanese Botanicals | 43 Percent ABV | 70 cl

Product Information

All of the ingredients used in the production of this limited gin are sourced in and around Hiroshima, giving Sakurao Limited Gin its authentically Japanese taste. Best Served

This trendy micro-distillery in Kuramae is run by Ethical Spirits & Co, a company aiming to make drinking culture more sustainable by turning food waste into high-quality spirits. It gained recognition in 2020 with the release of its Revive gin, made by distilling leftover Budweiser beer during Japan's state of emergency. Nikka Coffey Gin is much more delicate and refined on the palate than most of the others that I tried. It is a discreet blend of citrus, a hint of apple, and a pinch of sansho pepper providing a welcome nip of spice that is on the slightly bitter side. Known Botanicals Modern gin developed in England after Genever, a Low Countries medicinal liquor used to treat stomach complaints, gout and gallstones, was introduced in the early 1600s. The gin industry boomed in the early 1700s after King William III loosened regulation. Gin became so widely consumed, especially by the poor, that sales began to exceed beer. Efforts to control the market in the 1730s sparked riots. Tokyo Hachioji Distillery became the first craft spirit distillery to open in the Tama area when it launched last year. The Hachioji Distillery focuses on the traditional method and taste of classic London dry-style gins, but gives itself an edge by using local botanicals like Japanese lemon peel and natsumikan (summer oranges). Enjoy with ice and tonic water to discover the wide breadth of citrus and spicy notes. Delicious! ConclusionKyoya Shuzo Premium Yuzu Gin is a Japanese gin that is made with yuzu, a citrus fruit that is native to Japan. The in-focus Japanese spirit of the last decade has been whisky. Its popularity has far exceeded supply and sparked the opening of several new whisky distilleries. However, the whisky must be aged before it’s bottled – a minimum of three years to qualify as whisky under the new Japanese whisky standards. The Etsu Japanese Gin bottle is truly a beauty to look at. The ultra-clear, rounded glass bottle is accented by a royal blue stopper and its label features a whimsical image of a geisha seated in a lotus flower admiring a miniature version of the same scene. Will the fabulous artwork increase my enjoyment of the gin inside? The Gin Keep it simple. This gin is best served over ice, allow it to stand so its aromas begin to shine through. Conclusion

Being the first Japanese gin produced in Kyoto, KI NO BI has been instrumental in shaping the path of the entire industry. They also employ a technique of distilling each of the 6 botanical categories separately before blending to create the final product. Best Served The future of Japanese gin looks as promising as its recent past. With a growing number of distilleries entering the market and the established ones continuously innovating, the diversity and complexity of Japanese gin are set to increase. Enthusiasts and newcomers alike can expect a continuing evolution of flavours as distillers push the boundaries of what gin can be. Gin’s image finally transformed in the 1850s when distillers opened gin palaces, extravagant drinking dens that enticed wealthier patrons. Japan’s First GinThese days, we’re also seeing artisanal Japanese gins breaking new ground by championing unusual, but still native, ingredients such as umbrella pine, kombu (seaweed) and shiitake mushrooms, thus creating new types of gin unlike anything you’ve tasted. Although juniper is at the core of gin making, this is supplemented with other botanicals – peels, barks, seeds, spices, fruits and flowers. Japan has no shortage of these, giving a distinctly local flavour: green tea, yuzu, shiso, sansho, bamboo, tankan, hebesu, mikan, goya, shekwasha… all feature in the country’s gins.