Roku Gin

Roku Gin is a 43% ABV Japanese craft gin produced by Japanese drinks maker Suntory. Its name means "six" in Japanese, referring to the six Japanese botanicals in the recipe; the bottle is hexagonal for the same reason.

Which botanicals does Roku contain?

The six Japanese botanicals are sakura flower, sakura leaf, sencha tea, gyokuro tea, sansho pepper and yuzu peel. These are distilled together with eight traditional gin botanicals such as juniper, cinnamon, angelica and coriander. Suntory gathers the Japanese botanicals according to the "shun" principle, harvesting each at the peak of its season and flavour, so the gin carries traces of all four seasons. Each side of the bottle is embossed with these botanicals, and the label uses washi paper.

What does Roku Gin taste like?

On the nose, sakura flower and green tea create a floral, sweetish aroma. On the palate the structure is layered yet harmonious, with the Japanese botanicals sitting over a classic gin base and yuzu on top; the texture is silky. On the finish, sansho pepper leaves a light hint of spice.

How is it served?

It can be drunk neat, or in a gin and tonic with plenty of ice, where the Japanese botanicals come through clearly.

What food does it pair with?

Its yuzu and green tea notes create a natural match with sushi, sashimi and light seafood dishes.