Only two years ago, a nearly 160-year-old sake brewery in Nagano Prefecture started a project to offer customers craft sake. Now, Senjo continues its innovative streak by making use of a local specialty to create craft gin.
I visited the brewery in the Takato area of Ina earlier in March and met Takashi Kurogochi, the 46-year-old president of Senjo.
He placed a bottle in front of me. The label evoked a sense of beauty and delicacy, decorated with images of pink cherry petals. Upon opening it, I could smell the fresh, soft aroma of cherry blossoms along with the distinctive scent of the juniper berry, which proved it was gin.
