“What’s your choice of drink?” is a common question at most bars, events, and restaurants I go to and my response, along with many others on the table, often is “a gin-based drink, please.” Be it a simple G&T, a classic Negroni, Martini or even a Gimlet, gin has managed to stick to the classic cocktails but also lend itself to whimsical, thoughtful concoctions. While you may spot a Hendricks, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, or even a Gordon’s, most bar shelves now have a variety of Indian gins, offering subtle notes of India in a bottle.
The gin revolution in India began a couple of years ago when it was the go-to drink for most young adults. Greater Than spearheaded the Indian gins revolution by being India’s first craft gin. Today, a lot of Indian gins such as Jaisalmer, Hapusa, Stranger & Sons, Saṃsāra, Doja, Terai, Short Story, and more have become conversational terms when talking about gin in India.
Ahead of International Gin Day, ditch the gin brands you have known and stock up on Indian gins instead.
The list of Indian gins in the market is expansive and varied. We did the heavy lifting, and narrowed down on 10 of the most unique gins in the Indian alco-bev industry.
Chambal Gin captures the essence of the river Chambal in every sip. It is an ode to the deep ravines of Chambal, it’s heritage and the beauty of nature. This Indian Dry Gin is a blend of juniper berries, wild cinnamon bark, almonds, green cardamom, dried lemon peel, and black cardamom. The amber glass bottle of this gin has a torn label, linking it to the rugged landscape and the natorious dacoits of the region. Chambal Gin is available in Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune.
This smooth, citrus-forward gin took almost a year to be made. With notes of Nagpur oranges, crisp lime, and hints of spice, Baagh Gin is refreshing, well-balanced, and easy on the palate. The bottle’s label features ‘Baagh,’ a painting by Vikas Soni who is known for his murals at cult Jaipur hotspot, Bar Palladio. Baagh’s distillery uses local crop and supports neighbourhood farmers and the profits go towards rewilding and agrobiodiversity efforts. Baagh Gin is available in Mumbai, Pune, and Gurugram.
With Cherrapunji Gin, you can sip the rainiest place on Earth. This Eastern Craft Gin consists of juniper from Eastern Himalaya, the GI-tagged mandarins from Khasi in Meghalaya, smoked tea from Lushai hills and Kaji (aromatic lime) from Assam valley. Drinking water is scarce in Cherrapunji, the rainiest place on Earth and the founders realised that rainwater is naturally distilled and can be a great source in the making of spirits. This stainless steel sustainable bottle has an illustration of the colourful life of Cherrapunji with a mandarin picker, a colonial era Bedford bus, a red panda, bamboo forests, and monoliths. Cherrapunji Gin is available in Shillong, Cherrapunji, and Guwahati.
Known as India’s colour-changing gin, Nisaki Gin is definitely an experience in itself. This triple-distilled spirit is distinctly smooth and floral with 16 organic botanicals. This gin gets deep Indigo colour, thanks to butterfly pea flower and it changes its colour when mixed with water, tonic, and even soda. Nisaki Gin is available in Goa.
Considered to be India’s first sipping gin, Mohulo, captures the flavour profile and essence of India perfectly. With Mahua seed as the main ingredient, this gin includes delicate florals, citrus, and juniper with gives it a hint of spice and a subtle, floral aftertaste. With a smooth and well-balanced palate, it has a lingering finish. Mohulo is available in New Delhi.
Gin Gin is known to be India’s only single-shot distilled hemp gin when it was launched in 2020. It includes nine botanicals that include hemp, Himalayan juniper, coriander, lavender, rosemary, caraway seeds, cinnamon, lemongrass and butterfly pea flower. Gin Gin is available in Goa.
From the same makers as Gin Gin, comes Clearly Good Gin. It is India’s first blue gin and also considered to be world’s most affordable small batch craft gin, priced at ₹244.99. This gin is distilled with botanicals such as Himalayan juniper, coriander seeds, black pepper, cinnamon bark and green chillies and is blended with citrus elements like sweet lime peels, kokam and kaffir lime leaves, bitter lemon and Nagpur orange peels and Gondhoraj lime. Clearly Good Gin is available in Goa.
By the same team of Amrut single-malt whisky, Amrut Nilgiris is a botanical masterpiece capturing the essence of Nilgiris hill in every sip. With an Indian palate, this gin has a hint of sweet paan leaf, juniper berries, angelica root, coriander, mace and nutmeg, orris root and cinnamon for a spicy touch and brewed tea. Amrut Nilgiris is available across India.
Another hemp-based gin, Satiwa is distilled in Goa. With a nutty flavour profile, this gin is infused with botanicals juniper, rose petals, black pepper, lemongrass and fennel. In addition to the regular gin, they also have two flavours — Saitwa Passion and Satiwa Berry. For rum lovers, they also have Saitwa hemp-based craft rum. Satiwa gin is available in Goa and Bengaluru.
Jin JiJi is distilled in a copper pot with Himalayan juniper, tulsi tea, and cashew nut. The Darjeeling version of the gin infuses Darjeeling’s finest tea, whereas the High Proof one is inspired by the Royal British Navy’s tradition for high proof spirits, our 57% ABV gin is crafted for those who appreciate strength and adventure. Jin JiJi is available in Goa, Haryana, Uttarakhand, France, and Belgium.
