Best Asian gins

Intrigued by Asian-style gins but not sure where to start?

We taken the guesswork out for you, and found the bottles worth buying.

We asked a panel of four gin experts to blind-taste and rate a selection of Asian-inspired gins for our independent test, to uncover the best options at the supermarket and beyond.

Our panel tried gins including Ophir, Suntory Roku and Ukiyo gin. Two stood out for their authentic Asian flavours and classic gin taste, while others proved disappointing.

Discover our top-rated picks below.

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Best Asian-inspired gin

Only logged in Which? members can view our top Asian gin recommendations, along with full test results for all the gins and tasting notes below. 

If you're not yet a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the gins on test. To get instant access, join Which? today.

Akori Cherry Blossom Gin 

£32.96 for 70cl (£4.70/100ml), 40% ABV

This gin, produced in Spain, was inspired by Japan's national flower, but did it impress our experts?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this gin ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Amazon.

Kaikyo 135 East Hyogo Dry Gin 

£30 for 70cl (£4.29/100ml), 42% ABV

Named after the 135° East meridian that crosses Akashi City in Hyogo, did this gin make the grade?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this gin ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Ocado and Waitrose.

Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin 

£44.87 for 70cl (£6.41/100ml), 45.7% ABV 

It's distilled, blended and bottled in Kyoto, Japan, but what did our experts think of this Asian gin?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this gin ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Amazon and Waitrose.

Opihr Spices of the Orient London Dry Gin 

£27 for 70cl (£3.86/100ml), 40% ABV

This Asian-inspired gin has been a stalwart on supermarket shelves since long before the current craze. Is it a classic, or are newer rivals a better bet?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this gin ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Sainsbury's and Tesco.

Suntory Roku Gin 

£27.95 for 70cl (£3.99/100ml), 43% ABV

Probably one of the most widely available Asian gins you'll spot in the UK. Is it deservedly popular?  

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this gin ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Amazon, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose.

Tarsier Calamansi Citrus Gin 

£35.99 for 70cl (£5.14/100ml), 40% ABV

This gin was inspired by a trip to the Philippines, but what did our experts think?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this gin ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available only from Tarsier.

Ukiyo Japanese Blossom Gin 

£26 for 70cl (£3.71/100ml), 40% ABV

The bottle certainly stands out, but does the gin make a superior drink?

Join Which? to unlock our test results and find out where this gin ranked overall.

Want to buy without reading our results? Available from Ocado, Sainsbury's and Tesco.

All prices are correct as of June 2024. 

Looking for more gin recommendations? See our best premium classic gins and best pink gins

What is Asian gin?

Essentially, it's a gin with botanical notes with a distinctly Asian flavour or origin.

It's not typically an entry-level gin, but tends to be something people explore as they want to try new flavours and expand their drinks repertoire. 

Alongside juniper, a vital ingredient of any good gin, Asian-inspired gins tend to bring in umami (savoury), citrus and spice flavours. 

Ingredients may include yuzu (an Asian citrus fruit), pepper, ginger, green tea and cherry blossom. Some also use distilled sake spirit as a base.

What to pair with Asian-style gin

It's hard to go wrong with lemon or lime, as the citrussy classics pair well with gin. It's worth checking what the flavour notes are on the gin you buy though, to see if the manufacturer recommends any particular garnishes to bring out the best in the drink.

Of the brands we tried, some recommend thin slices of ginger, pink grapefruit peel, yuzu or thyme. Most recommend serving with tonic, but some also suggest ginger ale as an alternative.

For more drinks recommendations, see our guides to the best champagnes, best sparkling wines and best red wines

How we tested Asian gins

In May 2024, we asked a panel of independent gin experts to rate seven Asian-style gins. 

The taste test was blind, so they didn't know which gin they were trying, and each expert tried the gins in a different order to avoid any bias. 

After all the samples had been tasted and rated, the panel discussed any discrepancies in score and agreed which bottles deserved to be Best Buys. We then revealed the products.

Our expert panel included:

• Joel Harrison: Award-winning drinks writer and author of 'The World Atlas of Gin'
• Sandrae Lawrence: Co-founder and editor of 'The Cocktail Lovers' magazine and podcast
• William Lowe MW: Master Distiller and co-founder of Cambridge Distillery
• Barry McCaughley: Wine and spirits judge and co-founder of Japanese spirits company Kaiju Drinks

Please drink responsibly. See DrinkAware for advice and insights.