KI NO TEA Kyoto Dry Gin is one of the most distinctive expressions from The Kyoto Distillery because it gives tea a structural role rather than using it as a simple flavour accent. Built from the KI NO BI family, it combines a rice spirit base with Japanese botanicals and a tea component centred on gyokuro and tencha. The result is a dry gin at 45.1% ABV where citrus, green tea, juniper and woody notes are arranged with real precision. It feels calm and detailed rather than loud, which suits the Kyoto Distillery style very well.

The nose opens with yuzu, lemon and clean juniper, then moves quickly toward shaded green tea, soft earth and a dry woody note from akamatsu. Gyokuro brings depth, sweetness of aroma and a slightly marine vegetal quality, while tencha gives a greener, more powdered-tea impression. Orris helps bind the profile and adds a discreet rooty texture. On the palate, KI NO TEA is dry and layered: citrus brightens the attack, tea expands through the middle, and juniper keeps the gin from drifting into a tea liqueur profile.

This gin deserves a careful serve. In a gin and tonic, use a neutral tonic or a very restrained premium tonic, plenty of ice and a narrow garnish such as lemon zest, yuzu peel or a small green tea leaf. Too much fruit will hide the tea; too much sweetness will blur the dryness. The finish is long, green and gently tannic, with citrus peel, juniper and tea returning in waves. KI NO TEA is also strong enough for a Martini variation, especially when the vermouth is dry and the dilution is controlled, because its quiet complexity becomes clearer as the glass warms slightly.