Almost two centuries after colonial soldiers first mixed their anti-malarial quinine with gin on Indian shores (and unwittingly created one of the best tipple marriages there is), ‘Ginto’ is all the rage yet again! This World Gin Day, here are some picks to help you navigate this drink du moment.
Monkey 47: After infecting the West, India now has Monkey fever too, thanks to this curious German Black Forest concoction. It is crazy that 47 botanicals go into creating this smooth, seamless sip. If there was ever anything to counter the ‘less is more’ diktat, this is it.
The Botanist: Made in Islay, in a distillery that is more known for its whisky (Bruichladdich), 22 of its 31 botanicals are sourced locally from the Scottish isle. Juniper, florals and mint are what define this small-batch gin for me.
Star of Bombay: The azure bottle immediately suggests that this ‘Star’ belongs to the Bombay Sapphire constellation. The premium version adds bergamot oranges and ambrette seeds as botanicals to its original recipe for an anytime fresh, summery G+T.
Hernö Old Tom Gin: The predominant gin style in 18th-century England, Old Tom is typically sweeter than London Dry. Swedish distiller Hernö’s version is among the best out there. Coming to a bar near you in a couple of weeks.
Jodhpur: With a name like that, I all but expected a monolithic, cardamom-heavy spirit. Instead, the UK-made gin is a fairly classic London Dry with notes of juniper up front, complemented by citrus and coriander freshness on the palate.
Closer to home, there is Greater Than, a homegrown craft gin, which makes for a pleasant sip at an equally pocket-pleasing price. Currently in Goa and Bengaluru, this London Dry-style gin has distinct botanicals like lemongrass and ginger. On the more premium end, we’ll soon see Stranger & Sons making a debut. Distilled in Goa, it is described as ‘a bold juniper-led gin’, holding nutmeg and local gondhoraj lime peels among its nine botanicals.
Karina Aggarwal comments on all things brewed, distilled and fermented. Follow @gigglewater411 on Instagram.
