Here is the T3FS list of popular Gin Brands; both Indian and Imported

 

Asheesh Bhandari

 

Gin has been consumed for many generations and is a popular alcohol worldwide. Until recently, in India it was a popular drink in limited circles, the most prominent being the Armed Forces. The famous Gin & Tonic was served at every Mess or Defence officers Institute in the country as the drink of choice. But now, thanks to some enterprising tipplers, who experimented with the unique botanicals and exclusive packaging, Gin has burst onto the scene with a wide range and variety of flavours. Today Gin is more popular among the high heeled ladies then earlier 

Here is the T3FS list of popular Gin Brands in India; we start with the made in India stuff and move on to the International brands.

Hapusa

Hapusa, in Sanskrit means juniper. Hapusa, a smooth dry gin from Nao Spirits, sources its juniper berries from the Himalayan region and uses tasty botanicals such as turmeric, mango, coriander seeds, cardamom, gondhoraj limes, and almonds in its recipe. These botanicals are sourced from around the country and Kolkota, Goa, and Tamil Nadu in particular. It has an alcohol content of 43%. With floral notes and a spiced finish, Hapusa evokes earthy flavours can be sipped on its own over ice or with a dash of tonic.

Greater Than

Greater Than is the first Gin brand of Nao Spirits and is the only London dry gin in India. The ingredients such as juniper and citrus come from Macedonia, and Spain while the fennel, coriander and ginger come from Goa and New Delhi. The other main botanicals are Chamomile, orange peels, Angelica and orris roots, and lemongrass, which are also sourced in-country. The gin has an alcohol content of 42.3%. Greater Than has a strong juniper flavour with citrus and ginger notes. Its best served as classic Gin & Tonic drink.

Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin

Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin is a product of Radico Khaitan. This Gin uses 11 Indian botanicals which include coriander, vetiver, sweet orange strip, lemongrass, Darjeeling green tea leaves, and cubeb pepper. It has Juniper taking the centre stage for the taste. These seven of the eleven botanicals are sourced in India. The blend of the ingredients with an alcohol content of 43% makes Jaisalmer Gin ideal as an outlandish mixed drink with a reviving flavour. Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin is among the front runners driving the Gin revolution in the country.

Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin was awarded the Best Gin Gold Medal 2020 by The Fifty Best, USA and also ranked Best in Asia 2019 by The Gin Guide Awards, UK.

Stranger & Sons

This Gin was launched in 2018 by Third Eye Distillery in Goa, where it is produced. The company was co-founded by Sakshi Saigal with cousin Vidur Gupta and her husband Rahul Mehra, who is also co-founder of Gateway Brewing Co. and SVAMI artisanal tonic waters and mixers.

Stranger & Sons uses ingredients from across the country, including their own garden. It uses a healthy dose of juniper, along with a hit of black pepper, lemon, Gondhoraj limes of Kolkotta, nutmeg, mace, coriander seed, angelica, liquorice, cassia and citrus peels. The gin has a citrus-forward character that makes it enjoyable as a refreshing Gin & Tonic.

Jin Jiji

This is possibly the first gin in the world to use cashew nuts in its production, an ingredient synonymous with Goa. Jin Jiji uses juniper sourced from the Himalayas and distils its spirit with other Indian botanicals such as tulsi and chamomile in a copper pot in Goa. The other ingredients include angelica and orris roots, and black tea. The alcohol content is 43%.

The jiji in the moniker is derived from the Hindi word jijivisha to describe a passion and lust for life.

 

Gin Gin

Branding themselves as India's only single-shot distilled ‘hemp' gin, Gin Gin comprises nine botanicals: hemp, Himalayan juniper, coriander, lavender, rosemary, caraway seeds, cinnamon, lemongrass and butterfly pea flower . "I want Gin Gin to be a gateway spirit for the entire category. In this regard, adding hemp as a botanical would help pique a consumer's curiosity," says the 24-year-old founder, Shubham Khanna. Khanna is a self-taught, one-man-army in the gin-distilling business who travelled to New York to study the process. After trials across a few bars and hostels in Goa, Gin Gin is now hitting the market in the sunshine state of Goa.

Gin Gin is a single shot vapor-infused spirit, also the first of its kind in India.This is a process where in all the botanicals are macerated in a neutral spirit, then strained before being distilled in the still, and water is added pre-bottling.

Bombay Sapphire

Bombay Sapphire is probably the most famous Gin brands in India. It contains ten botanicals sourced from various nations namely, Juniper along with the lemon strip, coriander, angelica root, orris, grains of paradise, cubeb berries, cassia bark, almonds and liquorice. The brand additionally uses an unusual refining cycle to make its different flavour profile. Rather than heating the botanicals, Bombay Sapphire uses a Vapor Infusion cycle to release the aroma. 

Bombay Sapphire has 40% to 46% liquor by volume. The Gin has a smooth taste, ideal for making a dry martini.

Botanist

Botanist is produced by refining nine different botanicals utilizing direct bubbling, then passing fumes through a basket with 22 more natural and raw ingredients. The fume implantation and bubbling consolidate to give a fragrant and peculiar flavour that is unique. 

The Botanist uses natural and raw ingredients and no artificial flavours. It is one of the best gin brands in India which has apple mint, chamomile, creeping thistle, heather and elder among numerous different botanicals.

The central note of the Gin is citrus with a herby and floral flavour. It is a dry gin brand in India with alcohol content of 46%. The gin is manufactured in the Bruichladdich Distillery, in Scotland.

Beefeater

Beefeater is refined with 100% Grain Spirit. The Beefeater Gin utilizes nine Botanical ingredients, which incorporates, Seville Oranges, Orris Roots, Almonds, Angelica seeds and roots, Liquorices which are all novel to Beefeater Gin alone. 

All the nine herbal ingredients are soaked for a whole day before starting the cycle of refining. Following 8 hours of refining, it gets sent to Scotland for additional mixing which delivers the ideal appetizing Beefeater flavour.

The alcohol content of Beefeater is 40%. It has a very elaborate, distilling process.  It is a dry gin brand that has been popular in India for a number of years.

Gin Mare

Gin Mare is a Mediterranean flavour-inspired Gin. It has a home-grown and a sweet aroma. This is a Spanish gin made with Arbequina olive, rosemary, thyme, basil and mandarin, citrus zest, coriander & tart juniper. Gin Mare does not contain any allergens. Gin fans broadly appreciate Gin Mare. The premium Gin from Spain is definitely among the popular gin brands in India.