Mars Wa Bi Gin 700ml

Wa Bi Gin comes from Kagoshima, where Mars applies the region's traditional distillation and refining techniques to gin.

The spirit is based on shochu, with rice and koji distilled to create a citrus flavour and a gentle aroma. Nine botanicals go into it: juniper berries, green tea, ginger, lemon, Tsuruzuka bitter orange, Saigon cinnamon leaf, kumquat, perilla and citrus fruit. The aftertaste is memorable, and the rice fragrance lingers in the mouth in a way that reads unmistakably Japanese.

At 45% ABV it has the backbone for a gin and tonic, though it rewards a simple highball with cold soda and a twist of lemon, where the green tea and perilla stay legible. It is a good bottle for anyone moving beyond London dry, and it sits comfortably alongside sashimi, tempura or a citrus dressed salad.