{"title":"Gin","description":"\u003ch2\u003eJapanese gin: an exceptional spirit between tradition and innovation\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDid you know that gin was the first Western spirit produced in Japan? Introduced during the Edo period (1603-1867) by the Dutch trading enclave of Dejima, in Nagasaki Bay, \u003cstrong\u003egin\u003c\/strong\u003e is now an integral part of the world of Japanese spirits, with its own subtle and refined identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile juniper remains the base ingredient in gin production, Japanese distilleries bring their unique expertise by adding typically Japanese botanicals: citrus peels (yuzu, kabosu), shiso, sansho, bamboo, cedar, green tea, and local roots and seeds. The result: gins of exceptional aromatic finesse, where every sip is an invitation to travel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, more than thirty distilleries in Japan craft \u003cstrong\u003eartisan gins\u003c\/strong\u003e in small quantities. Each recipe is unique, highlighting one or more plants endemic to Japan, for a delicate balance between tradition and modernity. Japanese gin captivates with its complexity, purity and ability to stand apart from classic Western gins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to enjoy a Japanese gin?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJapanese gin\u003c\/strong\u003e can be enjoyed in different ways depending on the occasion and personal preference. It reveals its full richness neat, chilled or on the rocks, for a contemplative tasting experience. For a more refreshing option, it is ideally savoured as a gin and tonic with a neutral or subtly floral tonic water. Some \u003cstrong\u003eJapanese gins also pair wonderfully with ginger ale\u003c\/strong\u003e, bringing out their spiced or woody notes.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"gin-424-juniper-berry","title":"Gin 424 Juniper Berry - 500ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eGin 424 is an exceptional Japanese artisan gin, crafted from four sweet potato shochus (imojochu) derived from koji (malted rice), a uniqueness found nowhere else in the world. Each shochu brings its own aromatic signature: floral and apple notes, buttery and mushroom nuances, hints of yoghurt and wild berries, as well as touches of caramel and vanilla from ageing in sherry casks. This combination gives Gin 424 a remarkable depth and smoothness, rare in the world of spirits.\u003cbr\u003eDistillation is carried out in a traditional cedar wood still, crafted from trees over 80 years old. Assembled without nails, using bamboo bands, this still is distinguished by its high heat retention. The tin tubing encourages the elimination of sulphurous compounds whilst preserving the sweet and savoury components, giving rise to a particularly smooth, round and silky spirit.\u003cbr\u003eCrafted from sweet potato shochu and juniper berries of exceptional aromatic quality, Gin 424 retains all the structure of a gin whilst expressing the richness and smoothness characteristic of imojochu. On tasting, it reveals a subtle cedar fragrance, a beautiful sweetness, notes of umami and a velvety texture that linger on the palate.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WAKASHIO DISTILLERY","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54111389942093,"sku":"NISWD2","price":41.58,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0962\/6438\/8941\/files\/WD2-s.webp?v=1782227487"},{"product_id":"gin-424-classic-botanicals","title":"Gin 424 Classic Botanicals - 500ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eGin 424 is a unique Japanese artisan gin, crafted from four sweet potato shochus derived from koji (malted rice), each contributing distinct aromas: floral and fruity notes, buttery and woody, milky and fruity, or even vanilla and caramel thanks to ageing in sherry casks. This composition gives it a deep sweetness and great aromatic complexity.\u003cbr\u003eDistilled in a traditional cedar wood still made from trees over 80 years old, assembled without nails and bound with bamboo ties, it benefits from a particularly smooth, round and mellow texture. The distillation process eliminates sulphurous compounds whilst preserving sweet and savoury notes.\u003cbr\u003eAlongside juniper berries, Gin 424 incorporates four classic gin botanicals: coriander, angelica root, orris root and cardamom. It thus retains the structure of a traditional gin whilst expressing the richness of imojochu (sweet potato shochu).\u003cbr\u003eThe result is a gin with floral, fresh and spiced notes, with a subtle hint of cedar, a beautiful sweetness, umami and a delicately alcoholic finish.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WAKASHIO DISTILLERY","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54111389974861,"sku":"NISWD1","price":41.58,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0962\/6438\/8941\/files\/WD1-s.webp?v=1782227487"},{"product_id":"gin-jinjin-kumamoto","title":"Jinjin KUMAMOTO gin - 700ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eArtisan gin is a small-batch, one-of-a-kind gin. For this gin, Takata uses the same alcohol as for its flower yeast shochu and infuses it with late white citron citrus peels, as well as rose geranium, ginger and peach. The spiciness of the ginger and the subtle sweetness and aroma of yellow peach make it one of the most popular spirits among women in Kumamoto.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TAKATA SHUZOJO","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54111395742029,"sku":"NISTKT2","price":62.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0962\/6438\/8941\/files\/TKT2-s.webp?v=1782200373"},{"product_id":"gin-jinjin","title":"Jinjin gin - 700ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eArtisan gin is a small-batch, one-of-a-kind gin. Takata uses the same alcohol as for its flower yeast shochu and infuses it with local citrus peels (shiranui orange, banpeiyu, late white citron, sweet summer citron, late citron, haruka and yuzu) as well as rose geranium. The first batch of 300 bottles sold out in one week, and the gin won the gold award at the 2021 Tokyo Whisky \u0026 Spirits Competition. It gave new life to Kuma Shochu. Lightly filtered to preserve its aroma and flavours, this gin becomes slightly cloudy when drunk with ice or soda.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TAKATA SHUZOJO","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54111395774797,"sku":"NISTKT1","price":62.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0962\/6438\/8941\/files\/TKT1-medaille-s.webp?v=1782200373"},{"product_id":"gin-jin-shin-on-de-shimane","title":"Jin Shin Gin from Shimane - 500ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe base distillate is crafted from barley enhanced with a woodland infusion of kuromoji (Lindera umbellata, family Lauraceae), wild juniper berries, Japanese cypress, yuzu and cinnamon. Several distilleries in Japan have been working for around ten years to produce gins of the highest quality using artisanal methods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur artisan Okadaya Honten is located in Masuda City, in Shimane Prefecture, where abandoned farmland is increasingly common.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe distillery works to restore these lands by cultivating yuzu, chestnuts, persimmons and sake rice.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"OKADAYA HONTEN","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54111406096717,"sku":"NISOH1","price":46.17,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0962\/6438\/8941\/files\/OH1-s.webp?v=1782200154"},{"product_id":"gin-kobe-yama","title":"Gin KOBE YAMA- 700ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eKobe Yama gin is the first GIN from the Kobe distillery. YAMA means mountain. This gin with refreshing notes is of traditional style, with generous notes of citrus and herbs and a lively, zesty finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe botanical bouquet is made up of mountain plants from the Kobe region, such as Arima Sansho, green tea leaves from Kobe Shizukaen (Kobe's only tea plantation), juniper berries, green shiso, camphor wood, and yuzu.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GROW STARS - KOBE DISTILLERY","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54111417729357,"sku":"NISGTKD","price":53.33,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0962\/6438\/8941\/files\/GTKD-z1-s.webp?v=1782142270"},{"product_id":"gin-artisanal-mairingen-47-700-ml","title":"Mairingen craft gin, 47% - 700 ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eDistilled at an altitude of 620 metres and made from 14 plants, some of which are picked in Tango’s natural environment, this gin preserves the natural flavour of the ingredients while creating an aroma and taste reminiscent of Tango’s lush forests. This fresh craft gin is made from a luxurious blend of two types of water from the Tango Peninsula: “ultra-soft” water with a hardness of 10, drawn in the high mountains, and “ultra-hard” water with a hardness of 180, extracted at the foot of the mountain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Tango Peninsula is an unexplored region covered in lush vegetation. Tango’s abundant vegetation has protected the peninsula, sometimes as a “remedy” for humans, sometimes as a “remedy” that creates a natural cycle. The artisans at the Mairingen distillery call the verdant forest located in the northernmost unexplored region of Kyoto, which has existed since ancient times, “Yakuso Yakujyu-no-Mori” (forest of medicinal herbs and trees).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore the establishment of the Yamato regime, it is believed that a great kingdom called Taniha (Tamba) flourished in the northern Kinki region, centred on the Tango Peninsula. Although the name Taniha has long been forgotten, there is a concentration of enormous burial mounds in the Tango region, which some believe indicates the rise of the lost ancient power of the “Kingdom of Tango”. Since the Yayoi period, the “Kingdom of Tango” is said to have had a group of people with advanced skills in glassworking, iron production and so on, and not to have succumbed to the Yamato regime. It was eventually absorbed by the Yamato regime and, in 713 (Wado 6), Tamba (Taniha) was divided into two parts, with its five northern counties (Kasa, Yosa, Tamba (later Naka), Takeno and Kumano) becoming known as Tango Province.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is said that Qin Shi Huangdi sent a man named Xu Fu in search of an elixir of life. The legend of Xu Fu is found throughout Japan, and there are more than 20 places in the country where Xu Fu is said to have gone in search of this remedy.\u003cbr\u003eOne of these places is the present-day Tango Peninsula. The Tango Peninsula is one of the snowiest regions in the Kinki area, particularly in the mountains, where snow accumulates to such an extent that it becomes uninhabitable.\u003cbr\u003eThe snow cover forms a natural barrier that protects the vegetation from human intrusion. The lush vegetation of this unexplored region, where rich plant life has been preserved since ancient times, is called “Yakuso Yakujyu-no-Mori” (forest of medicinal herbs and trees).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRain falling on mountain forests seeps into the ground, travels underground, is purified for around 100 years, then finally springs from a source near the mountain summit. The water then becomes a river, fills the satoyama, supports the lives of people on the plains and eventually flows into the ocean. Water evaporating from the ocean eventually becomes rain again and returns to the land... The blessing of this magnificent cycle, the finest “water”, is that of the Mairingen distillery. \u003cbr\u003eIt is a refined blend of two distinct waters from the Tango Peninsula: “ultra-soft water” (hardness: 10), flowing from high mountain peaks, and “ultra-hard water” (hardness: 180), drawn at the foot of the mountains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to traditional gin spices, our artisans have enhanced the aromas of 14 botanical ingredients, including kuromoji picked on the day of distillation and Kuma bamboo, quickly roasted on hot stones to preserve its full essence. \u003cbr\u003eTo retain its aromas as much as possible, this gin is not chill-filtered. Consequently, the essential oils from plants not fully dissolved in the alcohol may precipitate depending on the ambient temperature, giving it a cloudy appearance. This does not affect its quality in any way. *The essential oils contained in fresh gin may crystallise or precipitate depending on storage conditions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mairingen Distillery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54572075057485,"sku":"NISKYOTA1","price":75.83,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0962\/6438\/8941\/files\/KYOTA1_88db7da0-85ec-401d-ae64-bc20c1f435a2.webp?v=1787586504"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0962\/6438\/8941\/collections\/OH1-z-w.jpg?v=1786376467","url":"https:\/\/www.nishikidori.com\/en\/collections\/gin.oembed","provider":"Nishikidori","version":"1.0","type":"link"}