It has been several months since I have written a diary.
It's been a while, I'm Sugikawa, a YASO distiller.
It has been a hot and humid day here in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, and the weather has been gradually getting hotter and hotter, making us sweat.
The new distillery is nearing completion and the entire distilling team is looking forward to that day.
The limited edition for July is Earl Grey tea-scented gin.
Did you know? The black tea Earl Grey is actually a type of flavored tea.
The citrus fruit used to flavor it is called "bergamot.
It is that aromatic fruit that was used for the limited edition product in January of this year.
I have been researching the origin of Earl Grey in writing for diaries and social networking sites,
The answer is "It is said to be from the Earl of Grey in England, but there are many theories as to the details.
It is not known for sure.
I was surprised that the origin of the name is surprisingly vague, even though it is so firmly attached to a person's name.
But even without such historical basis, it is kind of wonderful that it is loved by so many people around the world just for its deliciousness.
The tea leaves used for this Earl Grey tea are Murakami black tea grown in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture.
This black tea, grown by Fujimi-en in Murakami City, located in the northernmost part of Niigata Prefecture, is also known as "Snow Country Black Tea" and is sold at souvenir shops in the prefecture.
This Japanese black tea has a mild flavor with little astringency, thanks to techniques refined in the harsh environment of Murakami, where winters are long and sunlight is short.
Murakami City is famous for its salted salmon, but it is also a really nice town with delicious sake and even good tea.
Personally, if you have a chance to visit Niigata, it is one of the towns you should definitely stop by.
The tea is made with bergamot grown at Yamada Olive Garden in Shodoshima, Kagawa Prefecture.
This bergamot was also featured in the January limited edition, but this time the peel and pulp of the yellow ripe bergamot was used, whereas the blue peel and leaves were used in the previous edition.
The yellow ripe bergamot has a milder, fruity aroma than the blue one, and when distilled, it gently envelops the mellow aroma of Murakami black tea.
During these hot days, we recommend a gin and tonic made with Earl Grey gin and tonic water poured into a well-chilled glass with ice and lightly stirred.
The Earl Grey is softly fragrant with the sound of carbonation.
I hear that Earl Grey tea is more fragrant hot, so I would like to try it with hot water when it gets chilly.
Also, since Earl Grey means milk tea, I would like to try a cocktail with milk at a later date.
However, I am a complete cocktail novice, so I would love to hear from you on social networking sites about your favorite gin cocktails and how you like to drink YASO.
We, the distillation team, are always excited to see the different ways you drink our wine.
So the limited edition for July is Earl Grey Tea gin.
It will go on sale Friday, July 15.
Please look forward to it.
