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
Key facts
- 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.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: March 30, 2026
Direct answer
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.
- Citation
- 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 (March 30, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- March 30, 2026
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.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 18:26
- 🔍 Collected: March 30, 2026 at 22:56 (4h 29m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 2, 2026 at 13:02 (1526h 6m after Collected)
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.
FAQ
Which craft gin won the Grand Prize in the Alcohol & Beverage category at the 2025 Nagasaki Prefecture New Specialty Product Exhibition?
The craft gin 'JAPANESE IKINOCRAFT GIN ORIGINAL' from Iki no Kura Distillery won the Grand Prize in the Alcohol & Beverage category at the 2025 Nagasaki Prefecture New Specialty Product Exhibition.
What additional honor did JAPANESE IKINOCRAFT GIN ORIGINAL receive besides the Grand Prize at the exhibition?
Besides the Grand Prize, JAPANESE IKINOCRAFT GIN ORIGINAL was awarded the Governor's Award, selected as the top product among all four category Grand Prize winners at the 2025 exhibition.
How many categories are there in the Nagasaki Prefecture New Specialty Product Exhibition and what are they?
There are four categories: Agricultural Processed Products/Alcohol & Beverages, Marine Processed Products, Confectionery & Sweets, and Crafts/Daily Necessities/Other, each awarding one Grand Prize.
What local ingredients from Iki Island are used in the production of JAPANESE IKINOCRAFT GIN ORIGINAL?
The gin uses island ingredients such as strawberries, yuzu, daidai, haruka citrus, and asparagus, all harvested on Iki Island in Nagasaki Prefecture.
What is the significance of using non-standard agricultural products in JAPANESE IKINOCRAFT GIN ORIGINAL?
Using non-standard agricultural products helps reduce food waste on Iki Island by utilizing delicious but cosmetically imperfect produce that would otherwise be discarded due to shape.