Hello, I am Sugikawa, a YASO distiller.
YASO has just completed and moved into a new distillery next to its headquarters, the Echigo Yakuso Distillery,
Next, preparations are underway for the opening ceremony in October.
The third floor of the new distillery also houses a restaurant where you can enjoy pairing recipes.

Now, the September limited edition is a "lavender" gin.
Lavender, which has been very popular in non-alcoholic YASO gin, is now finally available in a limited gin.
This lavender gin is also the first gin to be distilled since moving to the new distillery.

The lavender used was harvested by "Niigata Lavender Story," a lavender grower in Konan-ku, Niigata City.
Lavender cultivation is being carried out here to make effective use of fallow land in a field where strawberries were grown.
We contacted Lavender Tales at the beginning of June.
Mr. Maki, the representative of Echigo Yakuso, was interested in this gin made from enzyme drink, which is also the mainstay product of Echigo Yakuso, and graciously agreed. Thank you very much.

Yes, that is, the September Limited,
Lavender gin is a cross between "lavender made from fallow land" and "gin made from the by-product alcohol."
Don't you think this is a product full of some great potential?

It was a hot, sunny day in early July when we visited the harvest.
As I parked my car by a lavender-colored field, which I could see from a distance, and got out, I could smell the soft scent of lavender wafting through the air.

This lavender is also processed into aroma oil and sold.
We greet them and harvest the lavender as they teach us.

While harvesting, bees buzzed and buzzed as they sucked the nectar, and large spiders were building their nests, perhaps in search of it.
It must be a good feeding ground...and a harvesting operation that feels natural.
When we spoke with him, Mr. Maki told us that when he harvests, he leaves a little bit of the flowers to feed bees and other animals.
I thought, "I see," and I harvested, leaving the flowers little by little.

And lavender's scent changes with the environment of the land where it grows.
Lavender is characterized by its ability to grow even in dry and harsh lands.
Niigata Lavender Monogatari-san has planted lavender in Niigata City, Nagaoka City, Tokamachi City, and other cities, and that is why the fragrance differs from field to field, he said.
It is true that even the same plant grows differently in different environments, so it is not surprising that they have different fragrances.
I would love to go to Tokamachi next year to harvest...

I was told that such lavender also has an interesting song, a passage from One Thousand and One Nights.

"Oh, how happy I am!
Not one of those this and that flowers that adorn flower beds,
No care to be plucked by lowly hands.
And you don't have to worry about being bothered by idle chatter.
Various other plants, unlike my sisters,
Nature made me grow up far away from the creek.
I do not favor cultivated and civilized land.
I am a wild thing, far removed from the world of man.
In the wilderness and solitude I remain.
Because I don't like to be part of the crowd. ----.
Freedom, I am free! "

...What a powerful, civilization-pushing, solitude-loving song...
Indeed, when you look at lavender growing wild, it seems to assert itself in that harsh environment, strong and upright, with a strong fragrance.

...I'm sorry I picked it with some kind of lowly hand. I'm sorry I picked it with my lowly hands,
We started distilling the gin with the hope of making it into a delicious gin that would be as good for solitary drinkers as lavender is for solitude lovers.

Once harvested, lavender is separated into flowers and stems and stored.
During distillation, a portion of the stems and flowers are soaked in spirit to give a soft, sweet lavender aroma, and the remaining flowers are basket distilled to maximize the aroma.
When macerated, the stems have a soft, sweet cherry-like aroma with a mild green flavor.
The flowers have a gorgeous, oily, slightly citrusy scent that is typical of lavender.
We aimed to make the most of both of these, and to create a lavender-scented gin that is not only flowery but also stemmy.

And the base gin is also formulated differently than usual.
The blend of herbs and spices is adjusted to accompany the lavender fragrance.
We have created a gin base that enhances the gorgeous aroma.

And this Limited Ed.09 is also the first debut work of Yamada and Sugikawa, who joined the company last year as distillers, from planning, finding botanical growers, harvesting, creating recipes, and distilling.
It is a common phrase, but it really is a very exciting feeling, like sending off your own child.
This was the first distillation at the new Echigo Yakuso Distillery and the debut for Yamada and myself.
I can't help but be thrilled...

The coming season is gradually getting cooler.
Enjoy the healing time with the softly wafting, sweet lavender scent.
Limeted Ed.09 "Lavender" will be available on Thursday, September 15.

Please pray that this zine will be loved by everyone.