Goto craft gin distilled from winery pomace

A first collaboration between two makers on the island

The Goto Islands are a chain of islands off Nagasaki Prefecture, at the western tip of Kyushu. Goto Tsubaki Distillery, founded on the islands in 2021, has developed “GOTOGIN feat. GOTO WINERY” in its first collaboration with Goto Winery, which makes wine in the same city of Goto. The raw material is the skins and seeds left over after pressing a red wine (Merlot) made solely from grapes grown on Goto: in other words, pomace. The pomace is distilled to bring out its aroma and savoury depth, then blended with the base spirit of the distillery’s standard gin, “GOTOGIN”. It is 47% ABV, comes in a 500ml bottle and costs 6,600 yen including tax in Japan. It has been on sale in limited quantities since 8 October 2026 through the distillery’s official online shop, liquor shops on the island and other outlets.

A grappa- and marc-like idea, applied to gin

When it comes to spirits distilled from wine pomace, European readers will be familiar with Italian grappa and French marc. The thinking is the same: grapes that have already been pressed still retain plenty of aroma and flavour. What is new here is that, rather than turning the pomace into a stand-alone spirit, the distillery layers it with the botanical aromas of gin. According to the distillery, the complex, natural character that only a fermented drink can offer is joined by the sweet fruit aroma of Merlot, giving a result with a fuller fruitiness and more organic nuances than the regular GOTOGIN. It is also a noteworthy attempt to waste nothing from winemaking and to carry it on into the next drink within the island itself.

How to enjoy it in Europe

The distillery suggests two ways to drink it. On the rocks, it works as an after-dinner drink, to be sipped slowly for its fruity sweetness and long finish. With soda, the aroma opens up lightly and it pairs more easily with food. The press release says nothing about sales overseas, and quantities are limited, so the quickest route to a bottle in Europe is to ask specialist shops or importers that handle Japanese craft gin. Even if you cannot get hold of it, a gin maker and a winemaker joining forces on the same island points to a new direction for Japanese craft distilling. If you like grappa or marc, the name Goto is well worth remembering.