The perfect G&T

Jo Elwin goes in search of

I popped over to Sydney for a G&T last Friday. Master distiller Yazuyuki Torii was in town, proudly presenting Roku, the House of Suntory’s new premium craft gin. I am familiar with this Osaka-based distillery’s whisky, although not as chummy as I would like because it’s nigh-on impossible to buy a bottle of Yamazaki, Hakushu or Hibiki in New Zealand — they sell out before hitting the shelf. So sought-after, the barman at Tokyo Bird (the small bar tucked down a Surrey Hills laneway where I enjoyed a Japanese negroni) informs me, that they fly someone to Japan to collect their orders rather than risk it being stolen if shipped. The gin will be more readily available and is, as of this week, at select New Zealand retailers at an RRP of $64.99 for a 700ml bottle. It’s good, so you might want to get it before the crooks do! It’s different —Torii San said they wanted to make something unusual but not strange. It is complex, layered with traditional gin botanicals (juniper berry, coriander seed, angelica root and seed, cardamom seed, cinnamon, bitter orange and lemon peel) at the fore before six distinctly Japanese botanicals develop. Yuzu (Japanese citrus) forms the top note with Sakura (cherry) blossom and leaves providing a sweet, floral aroma, just the right amount of bitterness from two types green tea and sansho pepper bringing a little spiciness to the finish. Served long with lots of ice and fresh ginger to complement the refreshing top notes and enhance the sancho pepper, it makes the perfect Japanese gin and tonic (see below). With a twist of ginger it makes a smooth, silky martini and mixed with Campari, vermouth and orange umeshu (plum wine) it makes my aforementioned negroni. As you would expect from these meticulous artisans, the gin is beautifully presented in a hexagonal bottle to reflect the perfect balance of the six unique botanicals in Roku, which means six in Japanese.