Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin

Ki No Bi ("the beauty of the seasons") was Japan's first dedicated dry gin, launched in 2017 by The Kyoto Distillery in the historic Fushimi sake-brewing district of Kyoto. It is built from six distinct botanical categories – base, citrus, herbal, spice, tea and fruity/floral – each distilled separately before blending, then cut with the region's famously soft Fushimi water.

The botanicals read like a tour of Japanese flavour: juniper, orris root and akamatsu (Japanese red pine) form the base, joined by yuzu and lemon for citrus lift, sanshō pepper and kinome for herbal spice, ginger for warmth, gyokuro green tea for depth, and bamboo leaf and red shiso for a floral, fruity edge. The result opens with a fresh burst of yuzu and a lingering thread of sanshō, with juniper and the Japanese botanicals balancing beautifully on the palate, before a warming, gently spiced finish carrying a hint of gyokuro tea.

• Origin: Kyoto, Japan
• ABV: 45.7%
• Volume: 70cl
• Botanicals: Juniper, orris root, akamatsu, yuzu, lemon, sanshō pepper, kinome, ginger, gyokuro tea, bamboo leaf, red shiso
• Style: Japanese dry gin, best served in a gin and tonic to let the yuzu and tea notes shine