Hey there, bars open. In this video I review the Suntory Roku Gin Sakura Bloom Edition — the seasonal festival collection that comes in that gorgeous pink packaging. I actually bought mine from Japan duty free on the way back after seeing sakura in person (seriously, if you have the chance, go — it’s a very extremely peaceful sight). Bottle-wise it’s the same familiar 700ml Roku shape at 43% ABV, and if you’re not heading to Japan, you can still find it in Singapore for around S$75. As with all my gin reviews, I test it three ways: neat, chilled (shaken with ice), and on the rocks. Neat, it smells like yuzu with that metallic juniper seed vibe, and on the palate it’s basically the standard Roku profile I know and love — but with a light, gentle cherry-like note. Chilled is where it shines: the burn drops, it gets smooth and easy to drink, and the cherry character still stays. On the rocks though, once dilution kicks in, the sharp juniper comes back and the sakura/cherry note gets greatly reduced into a faint aftertaste. So my takeaway is simple: don’t do it watery — just chill it. It’s amazing.