(picture from Max Pixel)

Think of alcoholic beverages in Japan and you’re most likely to think of beer (Asahi, Sapporo and Kirin have all gained international recognition), whisky (Nikka and Suntory being the big players), or indigenous drinks such as shochu or sake. Or, heaven forbid, you may even think of Hoppy, the beer substitute that had its heyday in the post-war years, but which still endures to this day.

Gin, however, is not a drink you would usually associate with Japan. Yes, it’s widely available, but it’s generally the big global brands behind the bar. Times seem to be changing though. The past few years have seen the emergence of a number of craft gin distillers in Japan, mirroring the trend in other parts of the world. This informative article in The Japan Times takes a close look at the Japanese craft gin movement.

Being partial to a G&T as well as gin’n’juice, I’m curious to hear more about these new Japanese gins.