Roku Japanese Craft Gin

Roku Japanese Craft Gin | 43%

Roku Gin, the first "modern" gin from Japanese giant Suntory, debuted in 2017 (the company introduced its Hermes Gin in 1936, which it phased out fairly quickly).

"Roku" means "six" in Japanese, which here refers to six local botanical ingredients: cherry blossoms and leaves, Sencha green tea, Gyokuro green tea (its bushes grow in the shade), Sanshō pepper and yuzu fruit. They are harvested seasonally, after reaching full maturity.

In addition to those mentioned, the Roku formula lists eight traditional gin ingredients - juniper berries, angelica root and seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, lemon peel and bitter orange peel. The gin is presented in a hexagonal bottle, whose six sides correspond to six Japanese botanical ingredients; while the label features "six" written in kanji characters. Roku Gin won a silver medal at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirit Competition.

Roku is a very mild and subtle gin, with notes of juniper, fresh pine, green tea and citrus beautifully balanced with a delicate spiciness.