YOMEISHU SEIZO - NAGANO PREFECTURE

Located in the heart of the Nagano forest in the Japanese Alps, the Yomeishu distillery is immensely famous in Japan. Its history dates back to 1602, when it first marketed a medicinal liqueur based on the use of plants, in particular a local shrub called Kuromoji. Four centuries later, 'Yomeishu' liqueur is still ultra-popular and Yomeishu Seizo remains the undisputed leader in this product category. The company is taking on a major challenge with the production of two fabulous gins based on its expertise in botanical formulation, Kanomori and Kanoshizuku gins. The Kuromoji plant, whose scientific name is Lindera umbellata, is a deciduous shrub belonging to the Lauraceae family. It is cultivated in Japan, where it also grows wild in the coppices of mountainous regions, areas nicknamed the "Treasure Mountains" because of the precious nature of this shrub. Kuromoji is used for its exceptional fragrance, notably in the production of essential oils renowned for their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as their soothing, sleep-inducing and digestive properties.