We’re excited to announce that Hiroshima’s Sakurao distillery will be releasing a new, limited gin on September 3rd, adding yet another expression to its award-winning portfolio of craft Japanese gin bottlings. We’ll, of course, have the bottle on dekanta, so pre-order yours here.

Since its inception, the Sakurao distillery has focused heavily on Hiroshima, with the aim of using botanicals exclusively from the area in its core range of spirits. During my visit to the distillery, I was overjoyed to see how passionate the team is, from the president to the distiller, and how excited they were to imbue the spirit of Hiroshima into everything they do.

Now, the team have set their sights on the most visited destination in Hiroshima, the famed Itsukushima Island, better known as Miyajima. The island is home to the Itsukushima Shrine and its iconic torii gate, one of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The new release is named Hamagou, after the small purple coastal flower used in the botanical recipe, which grows on the shores of Miyajima. The preservation of the island’s wildlife is upheld by many laws, and the distillery aims to help promote and maintain Miyajima’s image with this new release. The flowers picked for the limited 5,000 bottle run of the new Hamagou was, of course, done with permission. The distillery team even joined in on the beach cleaning activities held by the Miyajima elementary and junior high school, as it is where the Hamagou flowers bloom. The new Sakurao release campaign and part of the proceeds will go to aiding and promoting the island’s preservation.  

Looking at the flavour, Shingo Takeuchi, the Sakurao COO, mentions drinkers should expect a highly refreshing herbal and floral character, with a touch of light mint and incense. The Sakurao Original and Limited Japanese gin expressions are some of the most impressive in the recent craft Japanese gin boom currently taking over Japan. The distillery has even started to shine abroad, recently receiving a prestigious award at the Los Angeles International Spirits Competition for the Sakurao Original.

Expectations are high for this new expression, both from drinkers and lovers of Japan’s rich culture. The expression is, after all, representing one of Japan’s most renowned sites. Looking at Sakurao’s success so far, I have no doubt they will once again deliver quality.