Obuse Gin

Obuse Gin draws directly on the autumn harvest of Obuse, a town in Nagano known for its chestnuts. Bottled at 45% ABV by Nozawa Onsen Distillery, it brings local chestnut together with buckwheat and turmeric over a juniper-ledJuniper-forwardA classic profile where juniper clearly dominates, with resinous, piney notes.Glossary gin base. The bottle artwork features a work by Katsushika Hokusai, linking the release to the town's cultural heritage. The pairing with soba, the local buckwheat noodle, also reflects Obuse's connection to the grain named in the recipe.

Spicy · Earthy

The producer highlights three ingredients: Obuse chestnuts, buckwheat and turmeric, each giving the gin a distinct part of its warm, earthy profile. Chestnut gives the aroma a warm, savoury quality and a smooth depth. Buckwheat adds a nutty, earthy character, while turmeric brings gentle warmth and spice. These flavours are deliberately different from a citrus-led dry ginDry ginGin with no perceptible sweetness: in the European Union, the word "dry" allows at most 0.1 g of sugar per litre.GlossarySee Dry gin gins; they create a rounder profile while retaining the structure supplied by juniper.

The nose leans toward toasted grain and warm chestnut, with juniper keeping the aroma recognisably gin-like.

On the palate, the buckwheat gives an earthy, nutty note, followed by chestnut and a mild turmeric warmth. The texture feels rounded, and the finish is gently spiced rather than sharp. At 45%, Obuse carries these autumnal flavours into a simple long drink without needing a strongly flavoured mixer.

Nozawa recommends trying Obuse with hot water or a splash of Shinshu apple juice. For a cold serve, fill a 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 glass with ice, add 4 cl of gin and 8 cl of chilled Shinshu apple juice, top lightly with soda and stir gently. Add a thin apple slice. The fruit picks up the orchard character without masking the chestnut and buckwheat; keep the juice modest so the drink does not become overly sweet.