This exceptional gin comes from Kagoshima Prefecture. Founded in 1883 Komasa Jyozo has been producing spirits for over a century for local temples. In 2018 they added gin to their repertoire. Using rice shochu as the base, Komasa Distillery nurtures a reserved list of botanicals for its gin, including the star ingredient, Sakurajima komikan, Japan’s smallest mandarin orange, which takes its name from the active volcanic island from which it originates. These little “mikan” grow on all sides of the island, but even when cultivated in nearby greenhouses, ash from the volcano falls year-round and must be consistently brushed away from the fruit skin by hand, otherwise incurring damage to the final yield. The harvest season for these sweet oranges lasts only a month, making Komasa Gin both a labor of love and an ingenious way to enjoy this precious fruit year-round.