KI NO BI Kyoto Dry Gin 750ml

KI NO BI comes from The Kyoto Distillery, founded in 2014 by Marcin Miller, David Croll, and Noriko Kakuda Croll as Japan's first distillery dedicated solely to gin. After two years of experimentation the founders launched their flagship expression in October 2016, drawing on Kyoto's deep tradition of craftsmanship and building close relationships with local farmers and artisans, many from families that have refined their trades over ten generations or more. The distillery, located in southern Kyoto, draws its water from the Fushimi district, long prized by the city's sake brewers for its soft, mineral profile.

The gin starts from a base of rice spirit rather than the grain neutral spirit typical of most London Dry styles, giving it an inherently smooth, velvety texture. Eleven botanicals, nearly all sourced from Kyoto Prefecture, are divided into six categories, base, citrus, tea, herbal, spice, and fruity and floral, and each group is macerated separately before being distilled on its own. The resulting distillates are then blended together with Fushimi well water, an elaborate process that sets KI NO BI apart from most gin production. Key botanicals include yuzu, gyokuro green tea, sansho pepper, bamboo leaves, and Japanese cypress.

The nose opens with bright yuzu and a delicate thread of sansho pepper, while juniper sits quietly in the background, framing rather than leading. On the palate, ginger brings gentle warmth alongside a soft, tea-like depth, finishing clean and crystalline. It shines in a simple Gin and Tonic and makes an elegant, distinctive Martini.