Zenbird Editorial TeamThe Ethical Spirits & Co., a pioneering distillery venture bagged the distinguished “SDGs Award” at the Tokyo Whiskey & Spirits Competition (TWSC) 2023. This competition, a trailblazer in its own right, is the only Japanese competition to appraise international whiskies and spirits through the delicate and discerning Japanese palate.
The TWSC, Japan’s singular evaluation event for global whiskies and spirits, has found a unique proposition in Ethical Spirits & Co.’s modus operandi. Emphasizing Japan’s acute sensitivity to flavor, this competition aims to spotlight not only the highest caliber of whiskies and spirits from around the globe but also bolster the development of the nation’s beverage culture.
This year’s iteration of the competition witnessed a record-breaking 918 entries spanning the foreign spirits and shochu divisions, cementing TWSC’s reputation as one of Asia’s largest and most prestigious competitions.
Ethical Spirits & Co.’s victory was justified by several discerning factors. The distillery has been instrumental in addressing the problem of waste in the spirits industry. By honing in on the surplus sake lees, a byproduct from over 1,200 sake breweries in Japan, they’ve utilized this untapped resource to create their unique gin.
In an era of pandemic-induced surplus, the distillery has shown a remarkable aptitude for sustainability by transforming leftover beer into base spirits and making use of discarded raw materials, such as cacao bean husks, as botanicals.
Ethical Spirits & Co. have managed to carve out a niche of their own in the gin market. Their sustainable creations have garnered widespread appreciation, with enthusiasts likening their gin to “drinkable perfume.”
Tokyo’s Riverside Distillery, under the stewardship of Ethical Spirits & Co., continues to break new ground. As the world’s first regenerative distillery devoted to ethical production and consumption, it opened its doors in Kuramae, Tokyo, in May 2021.
Continuing its successful streak, the distillery has since produced an array of craft gins that leverage underutilized resources. Among these are the inventive “Cloud9,” incorporating felled trees from Narita International Airport as botanicals, and “LITTLE JOY SPIRITS,” a craft gin featuring Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Japan’s unsold donuts.
It’s clear that Ethical Spirits & Co.’s commitment to sustainability has set a new precedent in the spirits industry. With their aim to further spread their initiative, they’re not just making waves in the gin market but also showing how businesses can contribute towards a more sustainable and waste-free future.
