Ki No TOU
Kyoto Old Tom Gin
TASTING NOTES
Aroma
Brown sugar and sea mineral notes from the kokuto work harmoniously with the sweet, piney juniper, gyokuro and sanshō pepper to deliver a gin that is wonderfully rich and complex.
Taste
Hints of date and juniper on the palate at first, followed by warming candied ginger.
Finish
A long-lasting yuzu marmalade finish.
Groups & BOTANICALS
base
Juniper Berry, Orris Root and Akamatsu
citrus
Yuzu, Lemon
herbal
Sanshō pepper, kinome
spice
Ginger
TEA
Green tea (Gyokuro)
FRUITY & FLORAL
Bamboo leaves, Red Shiso leaves
The gentle sweetness of kokuto (black sugar) from Yonaguni Island
The “Old Tom” style of gin dates back to the 18th century, when the addition of sugar gave balance to some of the harsher spirits of the time. Uncertainty surrounds the origins of the name, but the image of a tomcat was common on barrels and pub signs. The style lies somewhere between Dutch Genever and London Dry.
KI NO TOU is sweetened post-distillation with kokuto (literally “black sugar”) from the Okinawan island of Yonaguni. Dating back to the 17th century, kokuto is made in such a way that it retains a higher mineral content than other sugars. As well as sweetness, it adds complexity.
The label design features two kanji characters, one meaning “island” and the other “sugar”, and was produced in collaboration with Kira Karacho, part of the Karacho karakami atelier founded in Kyoto in 1624.
