Private Label Gin in Japan: Tankyu Distillery's Custom Bottle Programme 2026
Tankyu Distillery offers a private-label gin programme — bespoke bottling under your brand, label, and packaging — from 200 bottles. This is for restaurants, hotels, retail brands, airlines, and corporate gifting buyers who want a craft gin that does not exist anywhere else on the market.
What "private label" actually means at Tankyu
Private-label gin at Tankyu means three things, in increasing order of involvement:
- Custom label only (most common): we use an existing Tankyu gin recipe (Yuki no Mado base, for example), bottle it under your label, and ship to your destination. Lead time 6–8 weeks.
- Custom label + small recipe adjustment: we tweak our base recipe (juniper-forward, citrus-forward, savoury-forward) but stay within proven flavour profiles. Lead time 8–12 weeks.
- Full bespoke recipe (rarest, used in projects like the Cathay Pacific commission): we develop a new gin from a brief — botanicals, ABV, mouthfeel, packaging — entirely custom. Lead time 4–6 months.
Minimum quantities and pricing
- Custom label only: 200 bottles minimum. Per-bottle cost depends on recipe + bottle volume; typical range USD 50–80 per 700ml bottle (FOB Hokkaido, before destination duties).
- Custom label + recipe adjust: 500 bottles minimum.
- Full bespoke recipe: 500–2,000 bottles per batch.
What is included
- Recipe consultation (1–4 sessions depending on tier)
- Production at Tankyu Distillery (Higashikawa, Hokkaido)
- Quality control and lab certification
- Custom label printing (¥60,000 per label design; printing cost only)
- Standard 700ml bottling (50ml, 200ml, 500ml available on request)
- Export documentation for major markets (HK, TW, JP, KR, US, EU, UK, AU)
What is not included
- Marketing, distribution, or retail listing services
- Brand strategy or naming
- Custom bottle moulds (we use standard 700ml flint or amber bottles; custom moulds are possible at scale and additional cost)
- Local market alcohol licensing (the buyer is responsible)
Common use cases
- Hotels: house gin for the rooftop bar, branded under the hotel name
- Restaurants: signature G&T gin matching the kitchen's flavour profile
- Retailers: store-exclusive craft gin (department stores, specialty shops)
- Airlines: lounge or amenity gin (as in the Cathay Pacific commission)
- Corporate clients: bottled gift for top-tier customers and partners
- Private celebrations: weddings, milestone birthdays, family events (smaller runs)
Hokkaido botanical library
Default Hokkaido botanicals available: yuzu, sansho pepper, junsai, hama-nasu (rugosa rose), hinoki cypress, sakura blossom, mizunara oak essence, plus a working library of 30+ secondary botanicals. We also source non-Japanese botanicals when the brief calls for it.
Inquiry process
For a private-label gin inquiry, please email info@tankyudistillery.jp with:
- Intended bottle volume (per batch)
- Target market(s) for distribution / use
- Approximate timeline
- Tier of customisation (label only / recipe adjust / full bespoke)
- Any specific botanicals or flavour preferences
We respond to qualified inquiries within 5 business days with an outline proposal and indicative pricing.
