What did you do before establishing Alembic Distillery? After graduating from university, I joined a trading company and led fulfilling days. However, at the milestone of turning 40, I reevaluated my path. The desire to explore alcohol production to enhance food experiences grew within me, leading me to transition into the craft beer industry. There, I learned the process from product development to production, marketing, and sales. What made you decide to create your gin? I decided to make gin because I wanted to explore the possibilities of spirits as a food beverage. My father is a chef, I am surrounded by many chefs and other people involved in the food industry, and most importantly, I am a "foodie" myself. Therefore, when designing recipes and imagining the flavours I want to create, I often look for hints not only in aromas, for example, but also in various dishes and ingredients. What is the inspiration behind your brand name and your gin? The name "Alembic" originates from the distillation apparatus that has been in use since ancient Persian times. In Kanazawa, blessed with the subterranean water from Hakusan mountains, Alembic's goal is to produce gin that complements food and accentuates its flavors. We aim to deliver these spirits, unique to Kanazawa, where nature and tradition weave a rich food culture, to people around the world. HACHIBAN, our first gin, was created with the concept of a well-balanced, non-fatiguing gin that will make the first-time drinker want another glass. Can you tell us more about your distillery, still and distillation process? The process is traditional and basic, one-shot distillation in a copper pot still. Both the brewing water and dilution water are locally sourced groundwater. It is a medium soft water with subtle sweetness. We chose to use only 8 botanicals because we wanted to understand the individual characteristics of each botanical and how they change during distillation. We also explore deeply to find out the best balance of each ingredient. What are your plans for your distillery and brand in the years to come? There are few things we want to try in the next few years:
What is the long-term ambition for Alembic Distillery? We aim for Alembic Distillery to be recognised as the #1 distillery in Asia. What are your favourite ways to drink your HACHIBAN Gin?
Gin Sonic, Gin & Soda, On the rocks. Desert Island Gins - which 3 gins would you take with you and why?
If you could collaborate with any person or brand in the world, who would it be and why? We would like to work with chefs to develop spirits that reference the creation of flavours in cooking. We would like to explore the possibilities of this spirit as a food wine. We also would like to work with filmmakers and writers. We would like to ask them to visualise and verbalise the world view of the distillery and its products, as well as the images they perceive through their sense of taste and smell, from the creator's perspective. You Might Also Like...
Comments are closed.
|