Brand
Kokoro
Kokoro is a British gin brand inspired by Japan, known for using sansho berries harvested in the Afan Woodland (Nagano prefecture). The core range is a London Dry Gin at 42% ABV that combines citrus notes, juniper and the characteristic peppery/umami of sansho.
- Edinburgh · Scotland · United Kingdom
- 1 product
The story
The idea for Kokoro arose from the meeting between the founders (including James Nicol) and the traditions of the Afan forests, where naturalist C.W. Nicol ("Old Nic") introduced the family to the culinary value of sansho berries. The berries are hand-picked in the forests of Nagano and shipped frozen to the United Kingdom; from there the brand developed the London Dry gin recipe that carries the name Kokoro (Japanese for “heart, essence”).
Production philosophy
Highlight a local Japanese ingredient (sansho) to create a gin that evokes the "spirit of the forest"; focus on sustainability and support for conservation: a percentage of profits is donated to the C.W. Nicol Afan Woodland Trust.
Territory
United Kingdom (brand/company) — key raw materials/ingredients sourced from the Afan Woodland, Nagano, Japan.
Production method
London Dry-style gin made with fresh sansho berries (hand-harvested and flash-frozen in Japan) and a blend of classic botanicals; the berries are shipped to the United Kingdom for processing and bottling under the Kokoro brand.
Distillation
London Dry (gin distilled with botanicals; the brand states it uses fresh sansho botanicals imported from Japan).
Characteristics
- Type
- Brand
- City
- Edinburgh
- Categories
- Japan-inspired gin
- London Dry gin
- gin-based liqueurs (yuzu, ginger, cherry blossom)
- Raw materials
- sansho berries (Afan Woodland, Nagano, Japan)
- juniper
- orange peel
- lemon peel
- angelica root
- almond
- licorice
- savory (santoreggia)
- coriander seeds
- Representative products
- Gin Kokoro 70cl
What makes it distinctive
- Use of fresh sansho berries hand-harvested in the Afan Woodland (Nagano).
- Donation of 10% of profits to the C.W. Nicol Afan Woodland Trust for forest conservation.
- Typical ABV 42% (70 cl version frequently distributed).
- Brand/company legally identified as Forest Spirits Ltd (Edinburgh) in legal and contact information.