Classic Dry Gin

Local sansho pepper and Hiroshima-grown Villafranca lemon set the tone for Classic 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, bottled at 48% ABV by Nozawa Onsen Distillery, with orris root rounding out the recipe. The distillery presents it as its most assertive dry gin and a natural choice for a MartiniDry MartiniGin and a little dry vermouth, stirred over ice and served in a well-chilled stemmed glass, with an olive or a twist.Glossary or other classic gin drinks. In a Martini, dry vermouthVermouthAn aromatised, fortified wine flavoured with herbs and barks; its name comes from the German Wermut, wormwood. Dry vermouth goes into a Martini, sweet red into a Negroni.Glossary and measured dilutionDilutionThe water added by melting ice. In the right amount it opens the aromas and softens the alcohol; too much flattens the drink.Glossary let the peppery citrus remain clear; a restrained lemon twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary is enough.

Citrus · Woody · Dry · Spicy

Sansho is hand-peeled to bring out its distinctive, lively pepper character. The producer pairs it with Villafranca lemon, selected for its delicate aroma and low bitterness. The citrus provides a fresh top note, while orris rootOrris rootIris rhizome dried for years, then ground. Powdery and violet-like, it mainly works as a fixative that binds and lengthens the other aromas.Glossary lends a soft, rounded texture and a woody, gently sweet aroma. Juniper remains the expected gin foundation beneath these three featured botanicals.

The aroma opens with lemon zest and a clean, peppery lift. On the palate, citrus arrives first, followed by the tingling warmth of sansho; orris softens the transition and carries the taste into a dry, lightly woody finish. At 48%, the gin has enough weight for a spirit-forward cocktail, yet the lemon keeps the profile brisk rather than heavy. The pepper is aromatic and precise, not a blanket of heat.

For the Perfect Serve, Nozawa's own soda highball: add 3 cl of gin to a tall glass filled with ice, top with 10 cl of chilled soda water and finish with a lemon twist. A dry Martini is another natural choice, as the distillery itself suggests. For the highball, stir gently and avoid a strongly flavoured mixer; the simple soda leaves room for the lemon, sansho and smooth orris character to show.

The distillery also pairs the gin with soba, a local buckwheat dish. That pairing reflects the gin's own balance: citrus and pepper keep each sip bright, while orris gives it a smooth finish that sits comfortably beside the grain.