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Finding the perfect festive gift is never an easy thing to do and can be particularly difficult if you're looking for something nice without going out of your pocket. Chocolates, sweets and the like are always an option of course but a good bottle of booze can be just as appropriate a gift for someone who likes to drink.
India's burgeoning craft spirits market is full of interesting options. You've got beautifully designed rum bottles, homegrown gins with Indian botanicals etc. There are a number of premium alcohol bottles to consider in the INR 3,000 bracket. Here are seven festive alcohol gifts that have a distinct flavour, a lot of character and are very much in the craft spirit category.
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For the person who likes to find out about the more obscure alcohol categories, Davana Vermouth Indica is a rather interesting festive gift. It's a Chenin Blanc wine base with a range of Indian botanicals added. There are two expressions available; Davana Rosso and Davana Bianco. The bottles are beautifully designed with Indian influences (lotus, peacock and tiger) all over.
Rosso uses 23 botanicals and delivers berry, herbal and bittersweet notes, Bianco uses 21 botanicals and has floral, citrus and spice notes. Both are 15% ABV and can be enjoyed over ice, with soda or in a cocktail.
Greater Than is one of India's earliest craft gin brands, launched by Nao Spirits & Beverages in 2017. The original London Dry is a nine botanical gin with a juniper dominant profile, the juniper being well supported by citrus, fennel and ginger. The range also includes Juniper Bomb, a more juniper centric product.
For the home cocktail maker there are a few interesting options within the Greater Than range. The original is a very good expression in a classic G&T and Juniper Bomb is a good one if you're after something with a bit more botanical character.
V21 Vodka is a very accessible gifting option for someone who likes flavoured spirits and simple cocktails. It's made by Great Galleon Ventures Limited and has moved on from the Original, Green Apple and Orange to include Jamun, Cranberry and Lemon.
V21 has the different flavours to be ideal for the casual get together and for home mixology. It works with soda, tonic and fruit juice without any need for complicated cocktail recipes.
If you're after a bottle that's going to stand out in terms of looks then the Maka Zai Gold Rum is one to look at. The bottle is all about the coastal identity of Goa with an illustration of an Olive Ridley sea turtle and coral artwork in greens and golds. There's also some Devanagari script thrown in for good measure.
Beyond the look of it, Maka Zai is very much the embodiment of India's growing homegrown craft rum segment. It's a product with a very distinct coastal identity and very distinctive packaging, making it a very appropriate and considered gift to give to someone who likes Indian spirits.
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Terai brings Indian craft into the bottle design. The faceted glass bottle is inspired by ancient Indian pillars and the hand crafted stopper is inspired by the traditional Channapatna wooden toy making of Karnataka. The label itself has design elements derived from Indian coins.
These are the features that give Terai such a distinct look and are therefore ideal for gifting. For the person who likes Indian design and is also into home grown spirits, it's a far more personal proposition than any standard festive bottle.
Stranger & Sons is a Goan craft gin. It's juniper dominant with black pepper, coriander and Indian citrus. The overall character is one of spice, freshness and herbs. It's a fairly typical modern Indian gin.
Its botanicals make it ideal for gin based drinks, be that a classic gin and tonic or something more inventive. For someone looking to explore the world of home grown gin brands it would make a very versatile gift.
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Samsara is a bit different in that it doesn't rely on juniper as the primary botanical. The other botanicals are given much more prominence. The blend contains rose petals, vetiver, hemp seeds and cardamom to create a more complex aromatic profile with floral, earthy and spicy notes.
Rose brings in the delicate florals, vetiver provides the earthiness and cardamom the well known Indian warmth. It's a very interesting profile for someone who is into exploring a bit of the unusual in their gin and who is also interested in the Indian craft spirits scene as it develops.
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The information presented in this article has been sourced from the official websites of Davana Vermouth Indica, Nao Spirits, Terai, and Stranger & Sons, along with a press release from The Outlier PR and additional coverage from The Spirits Business. Product details and indicative Mumbai prices for Maka Zai Gold Rum and Samsara Gin have been referenced from the information provided. These sources offer insights into the brands, their expressions, ingredients, bottle designs, and pricing.
Festive gifting doesn't have to be about the expensive bottle. From Maka Zai's coastal inspired packaging through to Terai's Indian craftsmanship and the botanicals of Stranger & Sons and Samsara, there are a number of reasons to make someone's celebrations a little more special with one of these seven brands.
Whether you're after something for a gin drinker, a cocktail drinker or just someone who likes to get into Indian spirits there's something to be found. Just check the latest Mumbai retail prices and availability prior to buying, especially for those expressions whose prices are unconfirmed.
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