Nara, once the capital of Japan, is said to be the place where Chinese herbal medicines were introduced to Japan. This is a record of a hunting trip that has been deeply connected with Chinese herbal medicines since ancient times. This “Kusurigari” is a court ritual of taking deer antlers and picking medicinal herbs, and is said to have its roots in the Koguryo Dynasty and ancient China. Even today, there are many pharmaceutical companies and Chinese herbal medicine shops in Nara, some of which have a history of about 700 years.

Since gin was born as a medicinal drink, some of its ingredients have something in common with herbs used in Chinese medicine, and we thought it was the best canvas for depicting Nara's uniqueness.

 

Originating as a medical beverage containing juniper berries, which were said to have medicinal properties, gin developed into a sophisticated spirit in the 14th century when distilling techniques were developed in Europe, and its taste was sought after.

It was not until 1689, when Dutch-born William III became King of England, that gin took its place on the stage of history. Gin brought from Holland caused a boom in England. In the 2000s, premium gins using high-quality botanicals were born, further evolving gin. Today, small distilleries have sprung up around the world to make gin infused with local climate, further expanding the world of gin as a craft gin.

 

The definition of gin is quite simple. First, it must have an alcohol content of 37.5% or higher. Second, it must be flavored with juniper berries. The appeal of gin is the freedom to use any botanicals and spirits as long as these two points are adhered to. As a result, there are gins that are unique to each region, ranging from port city-style gins blended with botanicals gathered from around the world to gins with a strong sense of craft that use home-grown produce.