Shinjiro Torii, the founder of Suntory, has long wished to produce a whisky that will please both the delicate Japanese palate and the rest of the globe. Shinjiro founded Suntory in 1899 to brew and distill a range of spirits, including Roku Gin, which embodies his unique vision.

Six distinctive Japanese botanicals and eight classic botanicals are combined to create the outstanding, well-balanced gin known as Roku (meaning six in Japanese also). The unique flavor comes from Sakura leaf, Gyokuro tea (refined green tea), Sakura flower, Sencha tea (green tea), Yuzu peel, and Sansh pepper. These ingredients are meticulously cultivated over four seasons to produce the best flavor of gin.

To extract the greatest flavor and preserve their distinctive qualities, the botanicals are each independently distilled. While yuzu is vacuum-distilled to provide a rich flavor, cherry blossoms are vacuum-distilled to produce a delicate smell in stainless steel pot stills. Together, they provide a nuanced, harmonious flavor of the particular sensitivity of Japan.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1899
• Founder: Shinjiro Torii
• Headquarters: Minato City, Tokyo, Japan
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suntory_rokugin/ (64K followers)
• Website: https://house.suntory.com/

On the Japanese island of Hokkaido, the Asahikawa Distillery produces Etsu Japanese Gin. Impressively, the Oenon Group, a major player in the Japanese beverage sector, owned the brand. This brand is essential if you are new to alcoholic beverages like gin because it is the leading manufacturer of sake in Japan.

When you taste Etsu Japanese Gin, you should experience a variety of botanical sensations in a single drink. That is because before being distilled in a copper pot still, the botanicals spend 24 hours macerating in neutral cane spirit. In addition to juniper, these botanicals also include coriander, tea leaves, orange peel, licorice, yuzu, and angelica root. However, the zesty flavor of the yuzu takes center stage.

This gin is good served both neat and with tonic, but it really shines when you add a sprig of mint to the glass. The mint's cooling flavor seems to perfectly balance the gin's citrus undertones. Nevertheless, you should be informed that this gin has a potent alcohol content that can reach 43%.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 2003
• Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oenon_official/ (22.6K followers)
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/oenon_official/ (48.9K followers)
• Website: https://www.oenon.jp/company/group/godo.html#anc02

Three founders, David Kroll, Noriko Tsunoda Kroll, and Martin Miller, founded Kyoto Distillery in 2014. Despite being a new enterprise, their journey must go back 20 years, when Martin was the editor-in-chief of Whiskey Magazine at the time David and Noriko founded a whiskey importer in Tokyo. With passion, their brand, Kyoto Distillery, has become one of the most well-known beverage companies in the world.

The time-consuming process of distilling the immersion liquid, which was an unusual use of technology, gives Kino Tea Kyoto Dry Gin its distinctive flavor that speaks to the region of Kyoto. To enhance the distinctive quality of each botanical, they are grouped into six categories based on those qualities. In the flavor, there are rice spirits that are complemented by a variety of flavors, including lemon, ginger, yuzu, gyokuro (green tea), and Japanese pepper.

Japanese gin Kino Tea Kyoto Dry Gin is the best to enjoy neat or on the rocks. It features layers of citrus, herbaceous, and floral notes in its flavor profile. When paired with light tonic and a dehydrated slice of lime, the yuzu flavor becomes the dominant note, making it ideal for refreshing drinks but maybe too zesty for fans of classic cocktails.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 2014
• Founder: David Kroll, Noriko Tsunoda Kroll, Martin Miller
• Headquarters: Kyoto, Japan
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinobi.official/ (14.9K followers)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KINOBI.Official/ (53.9K followers)
• Website: https://kyotodistillery.jp/

In 2016, the Kaikyo Distillery, a Japanese whisky distillery in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture, launched the Japanese gin brand 135° East. The 135th Meridian East, which travels through Akashi, is where the gin gets its name. And if you want to visit, the distillery is available for tours and tastings.

A rich and energizing flavor character may be found at 135° East. The Japanese botanicals lend a distinctive and tasty touch, while the juniper berries give gin its traditional flavor. The former contains yuzu peel, Sansho pepper, shizo, Japanese green tea, and sencha, for a total of five ingredients. Noticeably, the gin has a 42% ABV when it is bottled after being distilled in a copper pot still.

Although the gin tastes great neat or on the rocks, it truly comes to life in cocktails. One honor that 135° East has received is a gold medal from the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The gin is currently offered in Japan, the United States, and Europe.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 2017
• Founder: Kimio Yonezawa
• Headquarters: Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/135eastgin/ (6.4K followers)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/135EastGin (4.2K followers)
• Website: https://akashisakebrewery.com/brands/135-east/

The Sakurao Brewery and Distillery Co., Ltd. was established in 1918 in the Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, village of Sakurao. They brewed sake and tried to make their own single-malt whisky when it was first known as Chugoku Jozo. Since then, the world—not only Hiroshima—has learned about its historic past.

Nine botanicals from Hiroshima, including Japanese cypress, citrus fruits, and oyster shells, are combined to create Sakurao Original Dry Gin. Then combine steeping and vapor distillation techniques to yield a rich and aromatic spirit for the gin.

With aromas of lemon, yuzu, and grapefruit, Sakurao Original Dry Gin has a lively, zesty nose. The juniper, coriander, and ginger flavors on the palate are smooth and cooling. The finish is protracted and dry, boasting a lingering citrus undertone. That’s why this gin goes nicely with seafood, sushi, sashimi, salads, and fruit. Otherwise, you can savor it neat, on the rocks, or in cocktails. Sakurao Original Dry Gin is also a popular choice for gin and tonics, martinis, and Negronis.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1918
• Founder: Chugoku Jozo
• Headquarters: Hiroshima, Japan
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sakuraodistillery/ (4.3K followers)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sakuraodistillery/ (13K followers)
• Website: https://www.sakuraodistillery.com/en/sakurao/

Shobun Higa established the Masahiro Distillery in 1883. And he received authorization for Awamori (rice spirits). Masahiro Distillery has a reputation for using cutting-edge production methods, possessing distinctive features, and being passionate about innovation. You should therefore have high expectations for its gin brand, Masahiro Okinawa Craft Gin.

Masahiro Okinawa Craft Gin is created with a combination of botanicals, including juniper, yuzu, goya, and long pepper, like other gin brands. However, with the addition of lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit, it leans more toward a citrus flavor. A traditional copper pot still is used to distill the gin, giving it a flavor that is both smooth and rich.

Masahiro Okinawa Craft Gin is a multipurpose gin that goes well neat, on the rocks, and in mixed drinks. Given that it has a sharp flavor with a dash of spice, it is also a common choice for gin and tonic. As a result, it is a gin that is balanced and refreshing, making it ideal for sipping on a hot day.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1883
• Founder: Shobun Higa
• Headquarters: Okinawa, Japan
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masahiro.gin/ (1.2K followers)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/okinawagin/ (17K followers)
• Website: https://www.en.masahirogin.com/

Yuzu Gin Japanese Gin is produced by Kyoya Distillery, one of the oldest distilleries in Kyushu, founded in 1834. In addition to using locally obtained ingredients, Kyoya practices natural and environmentally responsible methods. Kyoya Distillery has received multiple prizes in international spirits contests and is a well-known manufacturer of organic spirits.

Yuzu Gin Japanese Gin is bottled at 47% ABV. The bottle has a distinctive flavor profile that is both complex and refreshing. It has a sharp, acidic flavor from the yuzu citrus fruit that is complemented by the sweet potato Shochu base, which is surprisingly mature in ceramic pots. The additional botanicals bring in notes of richness, earthiness, and spice.

Yuzu Gin tastes great blended in drinks like a gimlet or gin and tonic or enjoyed straight up with tonic water. Additionally, it is a revitalizing substitute for dry gin. In Japanese cooking, it is also a well-liked ingredient and is used to flavor meals like sashimi and sushi.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1834
• Headquarters: Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyoya.kyoya/ (1.2K followers)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyoyashuzo/ (2.7K followers)
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/kyoyashuzo (1.2K followers)
• Website: https://www.kyo-ya.com/

Hombo Shuzo is a Japanese liquor company founded in 1872. It is located in the city of Kagoshima, on the island of Kyushu, which is well-respected in the Japanese spirits industry. This is because it produces spirits that are delicious and genuine using only the best ingredients and age-old production techniques.

Wa Bi Gin has a flavor profile that is both complex and exhilarating. The green tea and yuzu both give zesty notes, while the juniper berries contribute the traditional gin flavor. The combination of the other botanicals, such as lemon, bitter orange, cinnamon, ginger, shiso, and shell ginger, results in a gin that is both flavorful and complex.

Wa Bi Gin, like most of the gins on the list, is a versatile gin that goes well neat, on the rocks, and in mixed drinks. Due to its complex flavor profile, it is also a fantastic gin for cooking because it can give meals more depth and complexity. What's intriguing is that the moniker "Wa Bi" means "Japanese beauty" in Japanese.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1872
• Founder: Kiichiro Iwai
• Headquarters: Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan
• Website: https://www.hombo.co.jp/

Masataka Taketsuru became the first Japanese to perfect whisky production when given the opportunity to travel to Scotland. Upon his return to Japan, he founded his own distillery to make whiskey and other white spirits, which is now referred to as Nikka Whisky.

Nikka Coffey Gin has a velvety mouthfeel from Coffey distillates and a perfectly balanced complexity from 11 carefully chosen botanicals. The typical gin ingredients of angelica, orange peels, coriander seeds, lemon, and juniper berries are complemented by the bright and zesty scent that comes from four varieties of Japanese citrus: Kabosu, Amanatsu, Yuzu, and Shequasar. Apples, a fruit with a long history in Nikka, are also present. On the finish, you ought to feel the lovely acidic undertones of green Japanese Sansho pepper.

Nikka Coffee Gin is a great Japanese option for mixing. It can be used as a gin and tonic or mixed with soda. However, it really shines in vintage cocktails with citrus or herbal undertones. Nikka Coffey Gin, the Dry Martini, the French 75, and the Gimlet are three terrific go-to drinks.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1934
• Founder: Masataka Taketsuru
• Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/nikka_jp (548.6K followers)
• Website: https://www.nikka.com/