Japanese artisan gin KI NO BI opensfossil-free distillery
Pernod Ricard-owned ultra-premium Japanese gin KI NO BI’s new fossil-free distillery, located in the Kyoto Prefecture, is part of the brand’s plan to increase production capacity.
KI NO BI today 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, driven by premium craft, flavour and mixology trends 1. 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.2
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 opportunity to grow KI NO BIs global market share as an ultra-premium gin of choice.”
1: Maximise Market Research
2: Japan Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association
About KI NO BI
KI NO BI Kyoto Dry Gin is a recognisably dry gin that masters the age-old art of blending. Created in Japan with Japanese botanicals such as yellow yuzu, Akamatsu wood chips, bamboo, gyokuro tea and green sanshō berries, it uses a rice spirit base and pure groundwater sourced from the famous sake-brewing district of Fushimi. Each of its six botanical elements (base, citrus, tea, herbal, spice and fruity & floral) is distilled separately before being blended to create an aromatic with a refreshing taste and a gentle kick of warm, ginger spice. Launched in 2016, KI NO BI is enjoyed worldwide and has won awards from prestigious international spirits competitions, including IWSC International Gin Producer of the Year in 2018.
About Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is a worldwide leader in the spirits and champagne industry, blending traditional craftsmanship, state-of-the-art brand development, and global distribution technologies. Our prestigious portfolio of premium to luxury brands includes Absolut vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur and Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes. Our mission is to ensure the long-term growth of our brands with full respect for people and the environment, while empowering our employees around the world to be ambassadors of our purposeful, inclusive and responsible culture of authentic conviviality. Pernod Ricard’s consolidated sales amounted to € 10,959 million in fiscal year FY25.
Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices.
