Japanese gin Roku has been launched at Waitrose stores in the UK.

The new craft gin is made by Japanese distillery The House of Suntory. It features Japanese botanicals green teas Sencha and Gyokuru, Yuzu, Sanshō pepper, Sakura flower (cherry blossom) and Sakura leaf.

Waitrose spirits buyer John Vine said: “We are proud of our range of British gin but there is still room to experiment with drinks from further afield.

“Japanese whisky once raised eyebrows but now wins awards and sits happily alongside established Scottish brands in the UK. We are confident that Roku will be popular with gin fans and it’s just the tonic for showing off to guests.

“We are proud of our range of British gin but there is still room to experiment with drinks from further afield.”

“The House of Suntory has pushed the botanical boundaries. The six more unusual Japanese ingredients sit alongside those we are more familiar with including juniper berries, cinnamon and cardamom.”

The drink is designated to be served with ice, tonic and six slithers of fresh ginger, instead of the usual lemon.

Roku is packaged in an embossed hexagonal bottle, complemented by a label printed on traditional washi paper. The hexagonal design is claimed to represent the six botanical extracts within the gin.

Waitrose’s new initiative follows a recent 30% of in-store gin sales.

Priced at £30 for 70cl, the Japanese craft gin is available at Waitrose locations across the UK and online.