Advertisement feature: Free sample provided for this review. Opinion entirely that of From the Gin Shelf.
FAST FACTS
country
England
Mixer
Double Dutch Pomegranate & Basil Soda
Garnish
Fresh mint leaves and a slice of ginger
ABV
43%
British-made, inspired by Japan
Inspired by the Japanese Alps, KURO Gin is the product of a skiing trip between two friends from Manchester – Craig Fell and John Thomson. Such was their love of the slopes, they set about an 18-month journey to bottle the spirit of the country’s Hakuba Valley.
They took their idea to Langley Distillery, and working with their master distiller created a product they felt ready to take to market. Despite being part of the new wave of Japanese-influenced gins, KURO is a London Dry gin at heart.
Launched in 2017, it’s already stocked by luxury department store, Harvey Nichols.
Key flavours: juniper, citrus, woody
Botanicals
silver birch bark, bamboo, juniper, spruce needles, coriander, angelica, orange, lemon, liquorice, orris, cinnamon, nutmeg
Flavour profile
The goal of Fell and Thomson when creating KURO was to “bottle up the alpine experience” of Japan’s Hakuba Valley. The three lead botanicals in achieving this are silver birch bark, spruce needles and bamboo activated charcoal. It’s the latter which gives the brand its name, with “kuro” translating from Japanese as “black”.
KURO Gin’s three lead botanicals are silver birch bark, spruce needles and bamboo activated charcoal, helping to create the essence of the Hakuba Valley.
The nose certainly has the freshness I’m sure they were hoping to achieve – it’s crisp and citrusy, with a hint of earthy wood. Juniper is strong in the background – it definitely smells like a London Dry. Juniper comes more to the fore on the palate, with citrus also dominating, while there are subtle earthy, aromatic notes which become more prominent towards the warm, smooth finish.
Recommended Serve
KURO recommend a different mixer from your traditional G&T – Double Dutch Pomegranate & Basil Soda. What a different proposition when compared to mixing with a classic tonic! Garnished with fresh mint leaves and a slice of ginger, it made the earthy aromatic notes much more prominent, while the mixer added a lovely sweetness.
With tonic, KURO was more in line with what you’d expect a London Dry to taste like, while the flavours were much more balanced. Both were highly drinkable but the recommended serve brought an interesting twist, and really offered something different to what I’m used to drinking.
Flavour profile
The goal of Fell and Thomson when creating KURO was to “bottle up the alpine experience” of Japan’s Hakuba Valley. The three lead botanicals in achieving this are silver birch bark, spruce needles and bamboo activated charcoal. It’s the latter which gives the brand its name, with “kuro” translating from Japanese as “black”.
KURO Gin’s three lead botanicals are silver birch bark, spruce needles and bamboo activated charcoal, helping to create the essence of the Hakuba Valley.
The nose certainly has the freshness I’m sure they were hoping to achieve – it’s crisp and citrusy, with a hint of earthy wood. Juniper is strong in the background – it definitely smells like a London Dry. Juniper comes more to the fore on the palate, with citrus also dominating, while there are subtle earthy, aromatic notes which become more prominent towards the warm, smooth finish.
Recommended Serve
KURO recommend a different mixer from your traditional G&T – Double Dutch Pomegranate & Basil Soda. What a different proposition when compared to mixing with a classic tonic! Garnished with fresh mint leaves and a slice of ginger, it made the earthy aromatic notes much more prominent, while the mixer added a lovely sweetness.
With tonic, KURO was more in line with what you’d expect a London Dry to taste like, while the flavours were much more balanced. Both were highly drinkable but the recommended serve brought an interesting twist, and really offered something different to what I’m used to drinking.
KURO gin perfect serve
- Add ice to a high ball glass
- Add 50ml of Ink Gin
- Mix with 100ml of Double Dutch Pomegranate & Basil Soda
- Garnish with fresh mint leaves and a slice of ginger
Tasting Notes
- NOSE: fresh, crisp and citrusy
- PALATE: juniper and citrus, with a woody background
- FINISH: warm, smooth and woody
