Ukiyo Japanese Yuzu Gin

Yuzu looks like a lemon at a glance but behaves nothing like one: more fragrant, more herbal, gently bitter and softer in its acidity. Ukiyo built a gin around it in Kagoshima, in the shadow of the active Sakurajima volcano, starting from traditional rice shochu rather than neutral spirit. Re-distilling that shochu gives the gin its hallmark smoothness and a notably soft mouthfeel.

The nose is fruity and herbal with a curl of matcha; the palate moves through juniper, yuzu, bitter orange and coriander, with pine, lavender and green-tea nuances underneath. The finish lingers long on the palate. Serve in a gin and tonic with a wide twist of yuzu or lemon peel to lift the citrus.