Suntory’s Roku Gin Embodies The Essence Of Japan’s Seasons

Words by Hong Kong Tatler

June 22, 2018

The specially crafted gin, soon available in Hong Kong, fuses six Japanese botanicals into a rich flavour base

Uniquely bottled in a hexagonal glass vessel, Roku Gin is a distinctive spirit from Japan’s revered Suntory brand, a company with more than a decade in expertise in distilling spirits.

Established and opened in 1899, Torii Shoten Store, Suntory’s predecessor, was the creation of Shinjiro Torii, who had a dream to create original Japanese spirits. While the brand crafted whiskies and brandies, it wasn’t until 1936 that Torii launched Hermes Gin, the brand’s first gin. Today, Torii’s successors have perfected the science and art of distilling spirits.

Above The Roku Gin infuses six seasonal Japanese botanicals into its traditional aromatics base to shape the spirit's complex flavour profile. (Photo: Michaela Giles/ Hong Kong Tatler)

Suntory takes pride in the subtlety of Roku Gin’s flavour base, as well as the botanicals that give the spirit a unique Japanese edge. The gin is first flavoured with traditional aromatics such as juniper berries, coriander, angelica root, angelica seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, and peels from lemon and bitter orange. Yet it is the six seasonal botanicals native to Japan that help shape the complex flavour profile of the Roku Gin: sakura leaves and blossoms harvested in the spring; summer’s sencha tea and gyokuro tea; autumn’s herbaceous sancho pepper; and the warm, zesty peel of yuzu citron from the winter season. All contribute to maximising the flavour profile of Roku Gin to form its Japanese identity and to set the spirit apart from other gins.

Kept within a hexagonal glass vessel embellished with traditional Japanese washi paper and bold calligraphy, Roku Gin embodies the beauty and aesthetic of the country’s rich heritage. Often served neat or simply mixed in a simple gin and tonic cocktail, Roku Gin requires little to enhance its rich character from layered aromas to pure taste.

Above Victoria Chow infuses green tea into Roku Gin, combined with pomelo to create a chilled high ball cocktail. (Photo: Moses Ng/Hong Kong Tatler)

The Japanese-made spirit was selected as the designated gin for this year’s Hong Kong Tatler’s Generation T party and Generation T lister Victoria Chow of The Woods was appointed to create a limited-edition cocktail with and inspired by Roku Gin.

“For the cocktail, I wanted to pay homage to Japan by incorporating green tea, and also emphasise the citrus notes since it’s hot and sweaty out there,” explained Chow. “I used pomelo—an Asian citrus instead of the usual lime and lemon—and topped it up highball style with a splash of soda to keep it light and refreshing.” Chow’s cocktail was a winner at the event and the chilled highball cocktail kept guests refreshed throughout the evening without compromising the uniqueness of the Japanese spirit.

Roku Gin will soon be available for retail in Hong Kong. For more information please contact +852 3926 6723 or by email at ascpohk@asc-wines.com