Roku Gin Sakura Bloom Edition

An elegant and fresh new Limited Edition gin from Roku. Bright and inviting, evoking the freshness of early Spring. Gentle and soft floral notes of cherry blossom. On the palate, soft and smooth notes, subtly sweet and richly elegant. A nostalgic hint of the saltiness of Sakura-mochi, balanced with the fruity sweetness of cherry blossoms, meticulously blended with Roku’s original botanicals. A lingering finish that invites the next sip.

• Distillery: Suntory's Osaka Distillery
  
• Type: Gin
• Region: Osaka, Japan
  
• Alcohol: 43%
  
• Volume: 700ml
  
• Goes with: Ice, premium tonic, Sakura & Raspberry or Cherry garnish
  

The first release in the Seasonal Festival Collection, the Roku Gin Sakura Bloom Edition is crafted to capture the essence of Sakura in bloom, a fleeting phenomenon that transforms Japan into a sea of colour and delicate fragrances each spring. Lasting only two weeks, the Sakura bloom is enjoyed at its peak by millions of Japanese people in a ritual known as Hanami, or ‘flower viewing’. Taking inspiration from the ephemeral beauty of cherry blossom, this special edition Roku Gin harnesses the brightness and freshness of Sakura for you to enjoy year-round. The blossom imparts an elegant floral taste layered with hints of saltiness, underpinned by a delicately complex blend of botanicals that enhances this Japanese gin’s natural flavours. This limited edition bottling is the first in a series which celebrates Japanese festivals inspired by “Shun” the sensibility of enjoying seasonal moments at their peak.

The Torii Shoten Store, the predecessor of Suntory, opened in 1899 as a result of the dream of young Shinjiro Torii, who at the age of 20 wanted to “create original Japanese Spirits the whole world can enjoy, uniquely made from Japan’s nature and her people.” Shinjiro overcame numerous hardships to make his dream a reality, creating wine, whisky and brandy, and launching Hermes Gin – the first Suntory gin – in 1936. Shinjiro and his successors continued to work hard on building a deep knowledge of distilling alcohol. The creation and perfection of ROKU are based on more than 100 years of expertise. ROKU is the result of an history of over a century of dreams.

ROKU is produced in the “Liquor Atelier”, the specialised craft distillery for Suntory spirits and liquor. The Atelier owns four distinct types of pot stills and, in a process unique to ROKU, the botanicals are distilled separately according to each feature of botanicals to extract the best flavour and maintain their individual characteristics.

For instance, the delicate scent of cherry blossom is drawn out through vacuum distillation in stainless pot stills, whereas the deep flavour of yuzu is achieved by distillation in copper pot stills. ROKU’s complex, yet harmonious flavour is the result of the unique Japanese sensitivity captured in the blending of the carefully crafted extracts of the 14 botanicals.

• Gold - 2024 International Wine & Spirit Competition