Kyoto Distillery releases Ki No Bi Sei in Europe
Japan’s Kyoto Distillery has relaunched the higher strength iteration of its Ki No Bi gin expression in Europe with a new look and name.
Named Ki No Bi Sei, meaning ‘power’ or ‘might’, the gin uses the same 11-botanical recipe as the original Ki No Bi expression. It is an "evolution" of Ki No Bi Navy Strength, which was launched last year. Described as a “semi-permanent edition” to the brand’s range, Ki No Bi Sei is “more full-bodied in flavour” than the core expression and “works particularly well in cocktails which require greater botanical intensity”. The new edition’s packaging has been altered to include a screen-printed label taken from a woodblock from the 1600s, as well as images representing berries and other fruits. The oldest karakami atelier in Japan, Kira Karacho, founded in Kyoto in 1624, is the source of the original Edo pattern that inspired the design. Ki No Bi Sei is already available in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, and will be launched in Europe this month (July). “Once again, response in Japan to Ki No Bi Sei has been very strong; we could have sold our allocation four times over within a week of launch,” said David Croll, founding partner of The Kyoto Distillery. “However, we are keen to support our overseas distribution partners by ensuring they enjoy access to our limited edition bottlings.” The Kyoto Distillery was founded in 2015 as Japan's first dedicated gin distillery. Since then, a number of new Japanese gin brands have hit the market.
