Suntory Roku Japanese Craft Gin / 43%/ 0.7l

Roku Gin, the first “modern” gin from Japanese giant Suntory, debuted in 2017 (in 1936, the company introduced its Hermes Gin, which it quickly discontinued).

“Roku” means “six” in Japanese, which here refers to six local botanicals: cherry blossoms and leaves, Sencha green tea, Gyokuro green tea (which grows in the shade), Sanshō pepper and yuzu. They are harvested seasonally, when fully ripe. In addition to these, the Roku formula lists eight traditional gin ingredients – juniper berries, angelica root and seeds, coriander seed, cardamom, cinnamon, lemon peel and bitter orange peel. The gin is presented in a hexagonal bottle, the six sides of which correspond to six Japanese botanicals; the label features the “six” written in kanji. 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. We personally encourage you to try it with an ice cube, while the producer recommends it with tonic and a piece of ginger and in a Gimlet cocktail.