Combined Wines is bringing a new range of award-winning handcrafted Japanese spirits to Australia, with Fuyu Whisky, Etsu Gin and Eiko Vodka having just hit our shores.

Fuyu Whisky is distilled on Honshu Island by three (top secret) distilleries. It is distilled from malted grain and mash corn before resting in American white oak barrels. Its rich flavours of oak and cooked fruit with a hint of smokiness, make it perfect for cocktails such as an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan.

Etsu, which means ‘pleasure’ in Japanese, is a gin distilled on the Northern island of Hokkaido in Japan. The main botanicals are yuzu, green bitter orange peel, coriander, liquorice and angelica roots.

All three products will retail for around $95 and have been available in Australia since mid-August.

Joe Molinari, the General Manager at Combined Wines, says that demand has already been high for the trio of Japanese spirits and it’s a more “experimental” millennial age group that is being targeted.

“The presales before stock even arrived has been enormous,” he said.

“Japanese whisky has become very popular as younger drinkers are looking for something different,” he said. “UK/Irish whiskeys can be a little too traditional. These products are award winners, high quality, very reasonably priced at sub $100, and have very modern packaging.

“Demand initially started with whisky but has now expanded to gin as popularity for this spirit grows. Vodka is just starting to become popular but there are many vodkas on the market from different countries, why not Japan?”

Deborah Jackson

Deb joined Intermedia in 2015 as Editor of National Liquor News and Deputy Editor of The Shout. Since then, she has also worked as the Editor of Beer & Brewer and the New Zealand title, World of Wine....

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