Yu Gin is made by Spiritique, a French collective of drink and brand experts Stéphane Aussel, Laurent Berriat and Olivier Hidier, who have developed partnerships with unnamed distilleries that make their products for them. Besides Yu Gin, they also bottle Bistro Vodka, Amaeton French Single Malt Whisky, and Noces Royales, which is a blend of cognac and poire william (pear spirit).
Despite being French, Yu Gin is very much inspired by Japanese flavours and philosophy. The former being the use of the Japanese citrus fruit yuzu (where the name comes from) and Sichuan pepper, and the latter in the wabi sabi philosophy where beauty is found in minimalism - Yu Gin only use four botanicals in total.
The other two botanicals are juniper and coriander seed. And juniper still forms the backbone of this product, while that floral, slightly grapefruit-y yuzu gives a fresh lick and unique character.
We think Yu Gin works beautifully with any citrus driven cocktail. A Tom Collins (with lemon, sugar and soda) would be a good starting point, and also a Rickey (with lime, salt and soda). For something a little stronger, try a White Lady (with orange liqueur, lemon and sugar) or a Gimlet (with fresh lime and sugar).
