Japanese artisan gin KI NO BI opens fossil-free distillery

KI NO BI announces that its new fossil-free distillery is fully operational, with the grand opening happening on 7 October – just 15 months after a Shinto Shrine Master blessed the ground in a traditional groundbreaking ceremony on which it is being built. The new facility’s highly efficient boiler is powered entirely by electricity using only renewable energy sources such as wind, water, solar and geothermal energy.  

The facility, located in Kameoka city of Kyoto Prefecture, just a short drive from Kyoto, is part of KI NO BI's ambitions to sustainably expand its global distribution. The global gin sector is currently being driven by premium craft, flavour and mixology trends. Meanwhile, gin sales in Japan have increased fourfold from 1.2 million litres to 5.5 million litres in the past five years, driven in part by growing interest in unique Japanese botanicals such as yuzu. 

KI NO BI, which translates into ‘the beauty of the seasons’, is a carefully crafted artisan gin made from high-quality rice spirit and botanicals, many of which are locally sourced. Launched in 2016 at Japan’s first gin-dedicated distillery, located in Kyoto, the new facility will have multiple stills (rather than a single still that many distilleries have), so it can maintain the meticulous gin-making process that defines KI NO BI gin. 

Hiroyuki Nagai, Operations Director at The Kyoto Distillery, says: “KI NO BI is a brand with a very Japanese heart and an artisanal spirit made with obsessive attention to detail. We could have installed one large still at the new facility, but we chose not to because we believe in maintaining our meticulous distillation process. We don’t simply combine all the ingredients into one still and press a button. Our botanicals are divided into six different flavour groups and distilled separately then blended, producing a distinctive, pure and perfectly balanced gin, with a Japanese accent.” 

Murielle Arnaud Dessenis, Global VP Marketing Gins at Pernod Ricard, says: “The magic of Kyoto spreads its wings! This is a historic milestone for our luxury Japanese gin gem – showing its commitment to both sustainability and its ambition to grow. It’s a journey that began in 2016 and continues to evolve as we aim to capitalise on the opportunityto grow KI NO BIs global market share as an ultra-premium gin of choice.” 

ENDS