Craft Gin Born from the Island Wins Double Honors: The Grand Prize and the Governor's Award at the 'Nagasaki Prefecture New Specialty Product Exhibition'! ― Iki no Kura Distillery
Iki no Kura Distillery's 'JAPANESE IKINOCRAFT GIN ORIGINAL' has been awarded both the Grand Prize in the Alcohol & Beverage category and the prestigious Governor's Award at the 2025 Nagasaki Prefecture New Specialty Product Exhibition. The gin is crafted using local Iki Island ingredients and helps reduce food waste by utilizing non-standard produce.
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- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 18:26
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The craft gin 'JAPANESE IKINOCRAFT GIN ORIGINAL' from Iki no Kura Distillery Co., Ltd. (Representative Director: Fukutaro Ishibashi; Headquarters: Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture) has been awarded the Grand Prize in the Alcohol & Beverage category at the 2025 Nagasaki Prefecture New Specialty Product Exhibition.
Furthermore, it was also selected for the Governor's Award, an honor bestowed upon only one product chosen from among all the category Grand Prize winners.
About the Nagasaki Prefecture New Specialty Product Exhibition:
Products are evaluated across the board, including their impression/appearance, quality, marketability/needs, 'Nagasaki-ness,' and suitability as souvenirs. One Grand Prize winner is selected for each of the four categories: Agricultural Processed Products/Alcohol & Beverages, Marine Processed Products, Confectionery & Sweets, and Crafts/Daily Necessities/Other. From these four, one product is chosen for the Governor's Award. This year marked the 57th iteration of the exhibition, and the winner was selected from a large number of entries.
About JAPANESE IKINOCRAFT GIN ORIGINAL:
A craft gin born from the desire to 'live with the island.'
Based on Iki barley shochu, which has a 500-year history, it utilizes island ingredients harvested on Iki Island, such as strawberries, yuzu, daidai (bitter orange), haruka citrus, and asparagus.
It features the mellowness derived from Iki shochu and a spreading citrus flavor, making it recommended as a mealtime drink that pairs well with Japanese cuisine.
It also contributes to reducing food waste on the island by using non-standard agricultural products from Iki that would otherwise have been discarded despite being delicious, simply because their shape did not meet standards.
Sales Information:
Currently available at our official online shop and select liquor stores nationwide.
In commemoration of the award, it will also be available for purchase at the following locations:
- March 27 (Fri), 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Sales event at the Nagasaki Prefectural Office 1st-floor entrance
- April 14 (Tue) – April 20 (Mon): On sale at the Hamaya Department Store 8th-floor event space (Nagasaki City)
- From early April: A special corner is scheduled to be set up at the Nagasaki Prefecture Products Center (Nagasaki City)
- Around September 2026 (tentative): Exhibition and sale at the Nagasaki Prefecture antenna shop 'Nihonbashi Nagasaki-kan' (Tokyo)
About Iki no Kura Distillery:
An Iki shochu distillery founded in 1984 on Iki Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, the birthplace of barley shochu. Under the motto 'Living with the Island,' the company cherishes the traditional techniques it has inherited while never forgetting to challenge itself to create new flavors. With this mindset, it continues to produce a diverse range of products, including Iki shochu and craft gin.
Furthermore, it was also selected for the Governor's Award, an honor bestowed upon only one product chosen from among all the category Grand Prize winners.
About the Nagasaki Prefecture New Specialty Product Exhibition:
Products are evaluated across the board, including their impression/appearance, quality, marketability/needs, 'Nagasaki-ness,' and suitability as souvenirs. One Grand Prize winner is selected for each of the four categories: Agricultural Processed Products/Alcohol & Beverages, Marine Processed Products, Confectionery & Sweets, and Crafts/Daily Necessities/Other. From these four, one product is chosen for the Governor's Award. This year marked the 57th iteration of the exhibition, and the winner was selected from a large number of entries.
About JAPANESE IKINOCRAFT GIN ORIGINAL:
A craft gin born from the desire to 'live with the island.'
Based on Iki barley shochu, which has a 500-year history, it utilizes island ingredients harvested on Iki Island, such as strawberries, yuzu, daidai (bitter orange), haruka citrus, and asparagus.
It features the mellowness derived from Iki shochu and a spreading citrus flavor, making it recommended as a mealtime drink that pairs well with Japanese cuisine.
It also contributes to reducing food waste on the island by using non-standard agricultural products from Iki that would otherwise have been discarded despite being delicious, simply because their shape did not meet standards.
Sales Information:
Currently available at our official online shop and select liquor stores nationwide.
In commemoration of the award, it will also be available for purchase at the following locations:
- March 27 (Fri), 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Sales event at the Nagasaki Prefectural Office 1st-floor entrance
- April 14 (Tue) – April 20 (Mon): On sale at the Hamaya Department Store 8th-floor event space (Nagasaki City)
- From early April: A special corner is scheduled to be set up at the Nagasaki Prefecture Products Center (Nagasaki City)
- Around September 2026 (tentative): Exhibition and sale at the Nagasaki Prefecture antenna shop 'Nihonbashi Nagasaki-kan' (Tokyo)
About Iki no Kura Distillery:
An Iki shochu distillery founded in 1984 on Iki Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, the birthplace of barley shochu. Under the motto 'Living with the Island,' the company cherishes the traditional techniques it has inherited while never forgetting to challenge itself to create new flavors. With this mindset, it continues to produce a diverse range of products, including Iki shochu and craft gin.