"Blossom Spirit" is a new and ambitious gin, born in the Serra de São Mamede, Portugal, and inspired by the artistry and subtlety of Japanese gins. This spirit unites two distinct geographies and botanical heritages, creating a cross-cultural homage to the majesty of the mountains and the ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms.
Mount Fuji is a pilgrimage site in Japan, drawing climbers and tourists with its grandeur, while the Serra de São Mamede is intimate and undiscovered; its slopes shelter ancient Roman ruins, traditional villages like Marvão and Castelo de Vide, and ancestral agriculture, creating landscapes where history and nature coexist in harmony. Both embody a reverence for place and subtlety, setting the stage for a gin that celebrates terroir. terroir.
Japan’s sakura culture, where the cherry blossom represents the soul of the country, is celebrated through hanami festivals that honor the fleeting delicacy of spring.
The story of the São Julião cherry tree is as poetic as that of the sakura: both are celebrated in their lands for their spring blooms—one in the shadow of Mount Fuji, the other on the gentle hills of the Serra de São Mamede.
The signature of "Blossom Spirit" lies in the cherry petals harvested from the trees of São Julião during their brief spring flowering (from mid-May to mid-June). These petals, though visually reminiscent of Japanese sakuras, carry a distinct Portuguese character, shaped by the terroir of Serra de São Mamede, with its harsh winters and warm springs.
Sakura petals have been preserved for centuries using traditional shiozuke methods (salt preservation), capturing their delicate essence to be enjoyed year-round in teas, sweets, and spirits.
Benefício Gin adopts the Japanese philosophy of using endogenous botanicals to capture the season’s essence. The use of local cherry blossom highlights regional identity while paying a sophisticated tribute to the inclusion of sakura petals in some of Japan’s most revered gins.
Marvão Chestnut
