A 0.00% spirit carrying the scent of kuromoji wood — IWSC 2026 bronze
Shinagawa Water Distillery is a small distillery by a canal in Shinagawa, Tokyo. What it makes is not alcohol but hydrosol: water carrying only the aroma of plants. With no fermentation, no alcohol is ever produced. Kuromoji and aburachan are aromatic trees of the laurel family from Japan's mountains. Their scent is steam-distilled, layering kuromoji's deep woodiness with a hint of aburachan sweetness. Bronze in the Alternative Drinks category at IWSC 2026; the judges noted "sharp woody and herbal aromas, intense bitterness, floral, saline, menthol and eucalyptus notes, finishing cleanly".
How to enjoy it
5–10ml over ice, top gently with soda, stir once
Smell it before you sip — those seconds are part of the drink
Use it like a seasoning: 5–10ml per drink, 50–100 drinks per 500ml. Add it to your usual drink and the aroma takes a new direction. Start with 5ml.
Volume 500ml | ABV 0.00% | Type Non-alcoholic (hydrosol) Producer Shinagawa Water Distillery (Shinagawa, Tokyo) | Origin Japan
Added to an alcoholic drink, the glass is still alcoholic — it does not become non-alcoholic.
Taste profile
Sweetness
DrySweet
Acidity
SoftBright
Aroma
SubtleExpressive
Body
LightFull
Guide values from our team; everyone tastes a little differently.