The Citrologist Yuzu Special Edition Gin

Yuzu is a highly prized citrus in Japanese and Korean cuisine, and The Citrologist uses its very fragrant zest for this special edition. The fruit combines flavours of grapefruit, lemon and mandarin, which gives the gin several citrus shades from a single ingredient. In Japan, the zest is also grated over soups and hotpots to lift their aroma.

Citrus · Dry · Limited Edition

Yuzu is thought to have originated in China before spreading to Japan and Korea, where it has been grown for centuries. The fruit is small, knobbly and full of seeds, with little juice, so its value lies mostly in the peel, whose oils flavour ponzu sauce and scent the traditional Japanese winter solstice bath, in which whole yuzu float in hot water. Yuzu trees are also unusually cold-hardy for citrus, which is why they thrive in the cooler regions of Japan.

The Wildings Distillery makes this gin in Galashiels as part of its Special Edition range, which uses only fresh citrus, never dried or frozen, and changes as different fruits come into season. Its strength is 42% ABV; besides the 700 ml size, a 50 ml bottle lets drinkers try it before committing to a full one. With juniper as its backbone, it shows the floral, tart and gently bitter sides of the yuzu in turn. The same line has also featured Makrut Lime, Amalfi Lemon and Buddha's Hand, so Yuzu sits among several rare citrus releases.

Yuzu has a natural affinity with the Japanese highballHighballA long drink served in a tall, straight glass with plenty of ice: a spirit topped with soda or tonic. The word also names the glass.Glossary. Pour the gin over plenty of ice, top it with soda water and add a thin twist of yuzu or lemon peel to keep the aroma bright. With a light tonicLight tonicA low- or no-sugar tonic, often sweetened with substitutes. Drier, it brings out the bitterness and the gin.Glossary the mandarin side comes forward, while a slice of pink grapefruit brings out the bitter edge instead. The gin is also a fragrant base for a GimletGimletGin with lime cordial or sweetened lime juice, served well chilled without ice. It is said to come from the Royal Navy, as a guard against scurvy.Glossary, where the lime cordialCordialA concentrated syrup of fruit (often lime) and sugar, made to be topped up.Glossary meets the three citrus notes of the fruit.