KI NO BI Edition G is aged in oak barriques from the Argonne Forest that previously held Champagne Henri Giraud. The Kyoto Distillery, founded in 2014, was the first distillery in Japan dedicated to gin. Here it brings together two very different traditions through the cask, while keeping the gin's original botanical blend at the centre. The result is bottled at 46% ABV and retains the clean, distinctly Japanese character of KI NO BI.

Citrus · Woody · Fruity

The aroma opens with vanilla and fruity oak, followed by oily juniper, akamatsu and stone fruit.

On the palate, juniper and fruit lead; sansho gives a savoury, lightly peppery edge, and ginger adds a quiet warmth. The finish is long, with fresh oily juniper and citrus against rounded oak tannin. A light hint of vanilla remains in the background rather than turning the gin sweet.

Henri Giraud is a family Champagne house in Aÿ that ages its wines in Argonne oak. Edition G uses the eleven botanicals of the house blend: juniper, orris root, akamatsu, yuzu, lemon, sansho, kinome, ginger, gyokuro green tea, bamboo leaves and red shiso. Their separate aromatic roles give the cask a varied set of notes to work with. The Argonne oak changes the way the blend reads, adding fruit and wood while leaving the citrus, herbs and spice visible.

The distillery's own Edition G & Soda is deliberately spare: 3 cl gin with 10 cl soda, built in a tumbler and stirred. A fine yuzu peel, pressed over the drink, adds a fresh citrus aroma without obscuring the oak. This simple serve keeps the drink dry and sparkling, and lets the gin's juniper, fruit and rounded tannin show in sequence. The serve is also useful for tasting the cask influence without adding sugar or strong flavours from other ingredients.