Joyous Gin from Japan
 
What does one have to do to get a double gold for Gin? Well, for starters, you need the know-how and top-notch ingredients. One of the first Japanese Gins has all of it. Made in Hokkaido by the Asahikawa distillery, Etsu means jubilation or joy in Japanese. It’s a floral extravaganza with some botanicals you won’t find in non-Nippon Gins, like green tea leaves, sansho pepper, and yuzu, the endemic Japanese citrus that tastes sort of like grapefruit.
 
They make Etsu following a secret recipe, sourcing the water from Taisetsu mountains and filtering it through charcoal. The Spirit comes in a lovely bottle with a geisha sitting in a yuzu leaf. A bunch of knowledge and work went into this glorious Gin.