Waitrose introduces Japanese gin
Waitrose has become the first UK supermarket to introduce a gin made in Japan.
Roku, a craft gin from Japanese distillery The House of Suntory, has been launched in Waitrose shops across the country. With sales of gin at Waitrose up by 30%, the retailer said it is constantly searching for new styles to meet demand.
As Roku means six in Japanese, the new craft gin has the same number of Japanese botanicals including two styles of green tea, Yuzu, Sanshō pepper and cherry blossom flower and leaf. Each botanical has been harvested in accordance with the concept of ‘shun’ – which means they are only harvested when they reach their peak flavour.
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John Vine, Waitrose spirits buyer, said: “We are proud of our range of British gin but there is still room to experiment with drinks from further afield. Japanese whisky once raised eyebrows but now wins awards and sits happily alongside established Scottish brands in the UK. We are confident that Roku will be popular with gin fans and it’s just the tonic for showing off to guests.
The drink is presented in an embossed hexagonal bottle featuring a label printed on traditional ‘washi’ paper.
The launch follows Waitrose being named ‘Supermarket of the Year’ at the recent Icons of Gin Awards.
Roku Japanese Craft Gin is available in Waitrose branches nationwide and on WaitroseCellar.com, priced at £30.
