From DIY Garage Distillery to the World: Tomii Distillery’s Absinthe Wins Gold at SFWSC

The craft spirit 'Crazy Potion Absinthe,' produced by Tomii Distillery in Nozawa Onsen Village, Nagano Prefecture, has won a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2026, a world-leading spirits competition.

This award represents international recognition for an absinthe created by a small-scale Japanese distillery and serves as a major step forward for the brand, which is taking on the global market from the small village of Nozawa Onsen.

[San Francisco World Spirits Competition] Established in 2000, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is one of the world's top three spirits competitions and a prestigious international tasting event. Judged by bartenders, distillers, and spirits experts from around the globe through strict blind tastings, the awards are widely recognized as a benchmark for quality in the international market.

Crazy Potion Absinthe blends a deep respect for the absinthe culture that captivated 19th-century European artists with the free-spirited creativity of modern craft spirits.

[A Unique Absinthe themed on 'Awakening and Decadence'] Using home-grown wormwood as the main ingredient, the product incorporates a diverse botanical mix, including star anise, anise seeds, mint, hyssop, Japanese pepper (sansho), cloves, cinnamon, licorice, kola nuts, and guarana. These elements help reconstruct the world view of Tomii Distillery, achieving a unique flavor profile that embodies 'Awakening and Decadence.' The gold medal honors the product's intense personality, balanced with complex herbal aromas and a profound finish.

[Garage Distillery Operations] Tomii Distillery is a small-scale garage operation based in Nozawa Onsen Village, where the building and distillation equipment were constructed entirely by the founder himself as a DIY project. Guided by a philosophy of expressing the nature, culture, and bounty of the snowy mountains, along with the concept of 'fun,' the distillery develops highly unique products such as gin, absinthe, and pastis. This award proves that even a small, regional distillery can produce quality recognized in the global market.

[Comment from the Representative] 'I am deeply honored that an absinthe born in the snowy Nozawa Onsen Village, with a population of only about 3,000, has been recognized on the world's most prestigious stage. Crazy Potion was created from the desire to build a spirit that no one had ever created before. Encouraged by this award, I will continue to aim for the world from Nozawa Onsen. This small garage distillery is only going to get more interesting. Yes! Tonight, we feast on red bean rice!'

[Product Summary] Product Name: Crazy Potion Absinthe Category: Spirits Alcohol Content: 64% Volume: 720ml, 300ml Manufacturer: Tomii Distillery (AYEK Inc., Representative: Ryota Tomii) Location: Nozawa Onsen Village, Nagano Prefecture Website: https://tomiidistillery.com/collections/all