In 1930, Sakichi Toyoda introduced a saying to his co-workers — “open the window, it is a big world out there.” Little did he know the profound adage would go on to form the building blocks of the Kaizen way, one that preaches change for the better or a strive towards continuous improvement. In our modern way of living, it is a nod to simplifying the tasks we perform as well as how efficient or nimble we can be.
In the House of KI NO BI — famed for being Japan’s first and only dedicated gin distillery — it is a nod to their constant quest of perfecting their own recipe particularly with the KI NO TEA Kyoto Dry Gin. How can this distilled alcoholic drink that dates back to the early 17th century be made modern and right for this exact moment?
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KI NO BI gin is crafted solely in Kyoto where exceptionally clear Fushimi (a portmanteau of fusu for hidden and misu for water) water flows underground. A particular trait that 16th century military ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi was prescient of when he dug a well to use it in his tea ceremonies. How important then is water — such a bountiful resource — in the distillation of KI NO BI gin? The answer is in the purity of the mouthfeel one experiences when he takes a sip. It has texture and character that others would not typically possess; the aromatic complexities of Japanese botanicals like yuzu, lemon and Sansho pepper giving way to the lingering finish of light ginger spice.
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This brings forth the second question: how does the humble act of Kaizen play a part in KI NO BI’s development as a power player in their brand philosophy? One where “the old and the new rub shoulders every day and exist happily together”. KI NO BI did not have to look far. All they had to do was to travel south of Kyoto city to the garden of “Okunoyama” — a tea garden that exists as one of seven famous gardens in Japan.
What one will hold in his hands — labelled the KI NO TEA Kyoto Dry Gin and packaged in feudal era-inspired art — is the results of a collaboration with tea-grower and blender, Hori-Shichimeien.
A number of super-premium Gyokuru and Tencha teas (the former, full-bodied and reminiscent of seaweed and the latter, deep and mellow) from Uji have been specially selected to form the heart of KI NO TEA Kyoto Dry Gin. The first sip is a real sweetness that coats the tongue as it echoes on the palate — notes of white chocolate followed by woodsy notes of Juniper before leading to a long, clean finish of both teas.
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While the tart taste of yuzu and woody notes of hinoki peeks through (after all, both ingredients are a mainstay of any KI NO BI gin bottle), the glory of this gin is in how one will be able to enjoy it. A graceful nip over a long drinking session, a heavy splash in a martini glass or the Japanese way of Shibui — on the rocks for simplicity and subtlety.
This story about the Kinobi KI NO TEA Kyoto Dry Gin first appeared in our April 2021 issue.
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