Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin

The Japanese are widely admired for their extreme dedication to artisanal craftsmanship. The meteoric rise of Japanese Whisky is in no small part due to this quality. It makes sense then to see this same level of obsession and mastery extending to other categories such as gin. The Kyoto Distillery is the first dedicated gin distillery in the country. And using the abundant natural bounty at hand the team here meticulously sources local botanicals, distills each one separately to their own individual specifications until they are eventually harmoniously blended back together. Some of the botanicals likely making their debut to western palates include Kyoto yuzu, Japanese cypress, red shiso leaves, bamboo, gyokuro tea and green sansho berries. Despite the unconventional recipe, the gin does not deviate too far from the category. Juniper and citrus are front and center on the aromas and palate. So, does this gin live up to the story and price tag? We think so. In fact we think this is one of the best gins we've ever had.