Indians do love and appreciate their gin. Take a look at Goa, a major chunk of Indian craft gin distilleries are located in Goa. However, it was only in 2017 after Nao Spirits’ Greater Than introduced Indian craft gin, that this industry started thriving. With newer brands emerging and experimenting with unique and indigenous botanicals along with exciting packaging, the whole craft gin industry in India is evolving.
So, here are 5 Indian craft gins that you might not have heard of but are definitely worth a try.
- Pumori
As the title on the packaging states, it’s produced in small batches ensuring every micro detail goes through multiple quality checks.
Botanicals & What To Expect: When you take a look at the 12 botanicals that are infused into this gin, you’ll find cardamom, citrus, liquorice, coriander seeds, nutmeg, rosemary, almond, vanilla and further herbs that are all sourced locally from India. With every sip of this strong-bodied gin, there’s a burst of cardamom just like our beloved masala chai.
2. Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin
The botanicals in this craft gin silhouette India. Every sip feels like you’re on a journey across India.
Botanicals & What To Expect: The notes you’ll taste in this gin are that of coriander and vetiver from Jaiselmer, sweet orange peel from Central India, cubeb pepper and lemongrass from South of India, Darjeeling green tea leaves from North-East India and lemon peel from Western India.
3. Doja Gin
The first of its kind, Doja Gin is a premium Indo-Japanese gin that embodies the very essence of both Indian and Japanese cultures, ensuring it has hints of sweetness, tartness and spice along with a floral fragrance.
Botanicals & What To Expect: The botanicals of this premium craft gin are sourced from both, India and Japan. The most prominent botanicals that you can easily sense and recognise are yuzu from Japan and cardamom from India. Apart from these two, there’s also coriander, pepper, fennel, juniper berry, cedar leaf, sansho pepper and hinoki chips that go into crafting this gin.
4. Samsara
Distilled using the classic London Dry method with 11 botanicals, each of which lends in a floral and citrusy flavour with just a tiny hit of spice to this gin.
Botanicals & What To Expect: Distilled using organic hemp seeds, rose petals, vetiver grass, green cardamom, blood oranges, cassia bark and angelica root, all of which are procured from Indian farms, the main ingredient of this gin however, that’s juniper berries is sourced all the way from Macedonia in Europe.
5. Tickle Gin
Tickle Gin is a dry gin from the house of the Cabo, that’s the popular coconut rum. Infused with a variety of Indian spices, there’s a certain freshness packed in this gin.
Botanicals & What To Expect: Talking of the botanicals, Tickle Gin is a fusion of Himalayan juniper, orange peel, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cloves and black pepper! However, the most distinct flavour in this gin is that of the Himalayan juniper followed by the black pepper and cardamom.
