Japanese inspired Gin

[SouthwestAl]

I am starting to put together a Japanese inspired Gin for the Cherry Blossom Festival in the town where I live next year. The Japanese Gins I have tried all have quite a unique taste, quite unlike the European/US Gins, and tend to be Gin, rather than London Dry Gin, meaning they are made from blended distillates.

I started yesterday with a distillation of Sakura Flowers (Cherry Blossom) in the vapour basket, as it's the end of the season here, and they are starting to fall. I then did a Yuzu distillation, also in the vapour basket - both came out quite nicely, and the Sakura is quite a dominant flavour and aroma, so blending will take some testing.

I am thinking of a base distillate of Juniper, Orris Root (to boost the floral profile) and Coriander Seed, and possibly a pepper - maybe Cubeb.

Other distillates for blending:
- Green Tea, for a herbal note.
- Nori Sheets - no idea what this will come out like on its own, but hopefully will give a slightly herbal, woody flavour.
- Sweet pickled Ginger - there is a type of Ginger flower here that could be interesting. Not sure what if anything the pickling will add, but I thought I would give it a go. I will pickle the Ginger in Mirim wine, and some rice vinegar, and see how it comes out.

The blend is going to be the key part, but the base alcohol could also be a major factor - I normally use GNS from a cereal base, from my supplier, but they do on occasions have GNS from a rice base, which might give a different tang.

Any thoughts on interesting botanicals that might fit with the theme? I don't want to go too over the top in the number of botanicals, but interested to hear feedback!

Dehydrated Sakura Flowers

[Oatmeal]

Shiso would fit the theme, but have no idea about how it fits flavor wise.

[Bushman]

Have you seen this thread that discusses proportions? Making Gin. Also if you come up with a recipe you really like be sure to share it in the recipe development thread.

[PLAYMP]

I just did a gin not intending to be Japanese inspired, actually sort of “fermentation” inspired, but had a few things that went in that direction.

It included green tea, ginger, and a very fruity chili pepper, among other things (Angelica, elderflower, coriander, orange peel). I used guajillo chili but I’m sure there is a Japanese variety that would work. Added that fruitiness and just a little heat that catches people off guard in a good way.

[SouthwestAl]

Shiso would fit the theme, but have no idea about how it fits flavor wise.

Thanks - I am going to have a look at that one.

[SouthwestAl]

Have you seen this thread that discusses proportions? Making Gin. Also if you come up with a recipe you really like be sure to share it in the recipe development thread.

Thanks Bushman - useful post! I am aiming to blend distillates rather than distill them together, which I have done before a few times, but not that recently.

The general aim is to make a stronger concentrate of the botanical used, and taking specific cuts for flavour. Distilling them individually gives more control over the flavour, as even if you take cuts on your Gin where botanicals are distilled together, multiple flavours come through at similar points. The Sakura flower, for example, was not that interesting in the first 25% or so, and didn't make the cut, but the middle part down to about 65% abv was really quite nicely perfumed and flavoured.A tiny amount of a concentrated botanical distillate can then be used to add to a base Gin distillation, with a pretty impressive impact. There are a few ingredients that I can only get fresh at certain times of the year here - Yuzu, Makrut Lime and Sakura Flowers, so by dehydrating them and then distilling them into a concentrate, I can save them for all year round use!

[SouthwestAl]

I just did a gin not intending to be Japanese inspired, actually sort of “fermentation” inspired, but had a few things that went in that direction.

It included green tea, ginger, and a very fruity chili pepper, among other things (Angelica, elderflower, coriander, orange peel). I used guajillo chili but I’m sure there is a Japanese variety that would work. Added that fruitiness and just a little heat that catches people off guard in a good way.

Sounds good! I have cubeb peppers that I use quite a lot, but Sancho sound interesting if I can find them, and would be more geographically/gastronomically correct for a Japanese theme.

The Ginger flower/bud I was thinking of is Myoga Ginger - not one I have seen, but I am told it's available fresh in Sao Paulo.

Myoga Ginger

[NZChris]

I've been seeing them falling for a few days now. I've never known I could use them. What is an easy way to harvest them?

[SouthwestAl]

I've been seeing them falling for a few days now. I've never known I could use them. What is an easy way to harvest them?

No easy way to harvest really - scissors cutting just the stems of the flower cluster, or taking smaller branches and trimming them off the smaller branch, but that's more destructive. That said, and I can't remember if it's Roku or Ki No Bi Gin, but one of them uses the flowers and leaves in the botanicals.

Last night I harvested nocturnal flowers from Pittosporum Undulatum (Victoria Box/Australian Cheesewood) which has an intense perfume. They have not dehydrated with much smell though, even dehydrating at 44C so as not to overheat them. No great hurry, as I am waiting on a toxicity report before I try anything with them!