Roku Gin

Roku means six, and the six are the Japanese botanicals Suntory add to the eight classical gin ones: sakura flower and sakura leaf, sencha and gyokuro tea, sansho pepper, and yuzu peel. Each is picked in its own season — blossom in spring, yuzu in winter — which is the part of the story that actually shows up in the glass.

Suntory distil them separately rather than tipping everything into one charge, using whichever vessel suits the material: a pot still for the heavier botanicals, vacuum distillation for the delicate flower and leaf that would cook at full heat. The results are blended afterwards. It is a whisky company's approach to making gin, and it shows in how deliberate the thing tastes.

The nose opens floral and sweet, cherry blossom with yuzu underneath. The palate runs in a clear sequence: citrus first, then the green, slightly tannic pull of the two teas through the middle, then sansho at the end — not heat so much as a faint tingle on the lip. Juniper is present throughout but sits back rather than leading. At 43% it carries enough weight for a long drink without thinning out.

A gin for anyone who finds most London Drys a bit blunt.

How to Serve

A G&T with a light tonic and — Suntory's own suggestion, and a good one — a slice of fresh ginger in place of citrus, which pushes the sansho forward. Keep the ice generous and the tonic properly cold.

Where to Drink It

Bar Lotus, where a Japanese G&T is house business. Artesian at The Langham for the botanical breakdown. The Connaught Bar if you would rather have it stirred into a Martini.

Food Pairings

Good sashimi — the sakura and sencha notes were built for it. Edamame with flaked salt is all you need alongside a long one, and the sansho makes far more sense with something salty in your hand.