Masahiro distillery has been on the tropical southern island of Naha in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan since 1883. Their expertise lies in Awamori, Okinawa’s traditional spirit, so it is only natural that Okinawa’s first craft gin be made from an Awamori base.
Premium Craft Gin from tropical Okinawa.
The botanicals include roselle (from the hibiscus family), guava leaves, and long pepper, but the most interesting addition is goya, the green, bumpy Okinawan bitter melon. At 47% ABV, it is bursting with floral flavours, tropical fruit, and green notes from the bitter melon.
Production methodology
Awamori is made from long-grain Thai rice that is inoculated with black koji rice mould, fermented and then distilled. Masahiro Awamori undergoes “hybrid distillation”: two Awamori are distilled – one from a horizontal pot still, the other from a vertical pot still – and blended.
Using this “hybrid distillation” technique and five, uniquely Okinawan botanicals (plus juniper) a truly tropical and terroir-driven gin is born.
Botanicals: Juniper, Shekwasha, Guava leaves, Goya, Roselle, Long pepper.