Kakuzo Organic Dry Gin. Organic Dry Gin with juniper, yuzu, satsuma mandarin, and the Kakuzo tea blend, 44% ABV, 700 ml – from Berlin.

Kakuzo Organic Dry Gin is an organically certified dry gin from Berlin: juniper, coriander, and lemongrass, plus satsuma mandarin, yuzu, and grapefruit, along with the Kakuzo tea blend as a floral botanical, distilled in a traditional distillery according to a proprietary recipe, 44% ABV, 700 ml. Not a pure juniper spirit, not a citrus soda gin, not a tea-colored gin – a clear, dry gin where Japanese citrus fruits and tea accompany the juniper.

Organic Dry Gin by Kakuzo is the latest of the four Kakuzo products and the only one with organic certification. A gin is a juniper spirit: alcohol is distilled with juniper berries and other botanicals, and the juniper must set the tone for the flavor. "Dry" means that the gin remains dry after distillation – practically no sweetness is added. Kakuzo names seven botanicals: juniper, coriander, and lemongrass as a spicy backbone; satsuma mandarin, yuzu, and grapefruit for the citrus side; and the house tea blend of Sencha, Keemun, and Assam, which contributes floral notes here. The gin's motto is included in Japanese: "A smile is worth a hundred words." Saturday evening, the tonic is cold, 5 cl of gin over plenty of ice, a grapefruit wedge – and with the first sip, first yuzu and mandarin, then the juniper that holds everything together.

Yuzu, satsuma mandarin, and grapefruit at the forefront, juniper and coriander as the backbone, tea as a floral trace

The gin tastes of citrus first: satsuma mandarin, the small, sweet mandarin from Japan; plus yuzu with its aroma between grapefruit, mandarin, and lime; and the tart grapefruit itself. Behind that works what defines a dry gin – resinous juniper, spicy coriander, and fresh lemongrass. According to the manufacturer, the floral notes of the tea blend lie on top; Kakuzo calls the gin perfectly balanced. With 44% ABV, it has enough strength to stand up in tonic while remaining dry through to the finish.

The gin is organically certified and bears the EU organic logo with the origin label EU/non-EU agriculture – the only one of the four Kakuzo spirits to do so. Those who prefer to experience the tea blend in its tart, dark form should reach for the Tea Infused Vodka: there, the tea steeps directly in the vodka, turning it reddish-brown; in the gin, it goes through the still as a botanical, leaving behind fragrance rather than color. Anyone looking for a gin where only juniper and coriander speak will find more citrus here than they are used to.

Gin & Tonic with a grapefruit wedge, Kakuzo Buck with ginger beer – and the Yuzu Collins with the liqueur from the same house

The Gin & Tonic is the drink Kakuzo suggests first: 5 cl of gin in a long drink glass over ice, top with tonic water, stir gently, add a grapefruit wedge – the grapefruit brings out the citrus side of the gin. It is a spirit with 44% ABV; sale is permitted only to persons aged 18 and over.

The Kakuzo Buck is the spicy version: 5 cl of gin and 1 cl of lemon juice in a long drink glass over ice, top with 15 cl of ginger beer, stir, and add a lemon twist. For the Kakuzo Gimlet, shake 6 cl of gin with 2 cl of lime cordial vigorously over ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. And the Yuzu Collins combines both Kakuzo gins: 3 cl Dry Gin, 3 cl Yuzu Gin Liqueur, 2 cl lemon juice, and 1.5 cl simple syrup in a long drink glass over ice, top with 8 to 10 cl soda water, and a lemon twist.

Store in a cool, dark place.

Our tip: For the Gin & Tonic, use a dry, restrained tonic and squeeze the grapefruit wedge over the glass before dropping it in – this leaves room for the yuzu and mandarin, and the tea in the background remains perceptible even in a full glass.

Conceived as German-Japanese, distilled in a traditional distillery – and the tea comes from the vodka

Kakuzo is a Berlin brand from Paul and Marc, two friends who have known the city's bar scene since their school days and have traveled extensively throughout Asia. They started in 2017 with a recipe for a tea-infused vodka, developed in their own bathtub; the brand has existed since about 2018, and the gin was added later as the newest product. Kakuzo describes the idea for the gin as a fusion of German and Japanese culture: German distillation art for juniper and coriander, Japanese citrus fruits and tea for the character. It is distilled in a traditional distillery according to the pair's own recipe; the manufacturer does not disclose the name of the distillery.

The tea blend is the link to the rest of the brand. Paul and Marc composed Sencha from Japan, Keemun from China, and Assam from India for their vodka; in the gin, the same blend goes into the distillation as a botanical. The brand name honors the Japanese scholar Okakura Kakuzō, who explained Japanese tea culture to the Western world in his 1906 work "The Book of Tea." What Kakuzo takes from this is the idea of balance: Japanese cuisine plays with contrasts – cold and warm, mild and sharp – and seeks the center. With the gin, the contrasts are juniper and citrus, German distillation art and Japanese satsuma. The brand's claim is "Formed by Time."

For Gin & Tonic evenings with a penchant for citrus, for the home bar, and as an organic gin for gifting

The Organic Dry Gin is the bottle for anyone who prefers citrus over lavender in their Gin & Tonic. For the home bar, it is a dry gin with its own signature that holds its own in a Negroni, Buck, or Gimlet; for organic shoppers, it is the only Kakuzo with a certificate; and as a gift, it is a bottle for people with a penchant for Japan. Its softer sister is the Yuzu Gin Liqueur with 20% ABV, and its red counterpart for a Negroni is the Cherry Bitter; you can find all four bottles on our Kakuzo page, and other juniper spirits in our Gin category. This gin is not suitable for those looking for a classic, strictly juniper-forward gin – here, yuzu, mandarin, and tea have a say, and with 44% ABV, it is a gin for drinks that can handle strength.

Juniper, yuzu, satsuma mandarin, and the Kakuzo tea blend, organically certified, 44% ABV – the Organic Dry Gin by Kakuzo from Berlin for the Gin & Tonic with grapefruit, the Buck, and the home bar.