Suntory Roku Gin (750ML)

Mike Gerard, www.traveldistilled.com: "The yuzu already has a rich citrus flavour, somewhere between a grapefruit and an orange, and as the gin also has bitter orange peel and lemon peel in it, you could expect a big citrus hit. That’s exactly what you get as soon as you open the bottle. I put the bottle down to go and get the glasses, and as I came back I could smell the citrus from a few feet away. There’s juniper too, naturally, and definitely a peppery spiciness, and maybe a dash of buttery/vanilla sweetness. It’s as delightful and as complex as you’d expect, knowing the source and the production process. On the palate it has a beautifully rich, smooth and warm mouth-feel. It’s a gin you can roll around your mouth to savour the flavours, which are as complex and subtle as the aroma. The juniper seems to take a step forward, and the citrus becomes less in-your-face once it’s in-your-mouth! The pepper and spices are there, too, and an earthiness, while the finish is deliciously smooth and a little spicy to round everything off...When you get a gin as complex and tasty as this, you can do almost anything with it. You can sip it neat, and it’s also good on the rocks as the flavours change as the ice melts. The gin is 43% proof so it can stand a little diluting. What’s also good, though, is that gins like this transform a simple gin and tonic. The suggested serve is with some very thin slices of ginger, and the company has recommended a way of making the cocktail, pouring in the gin at the end and swirling the flavours around in the tonic. You’ve heard of the Japanese Tea Ceremony? Well, this is a Japanese G&T Ceremony."