In an interesting experiment, The Botanist Gin, distilled and hand-crafted at the Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay, teamed up with CELES TÉ, a boutique gourmet tea brand with its roots in Assam.
While Anubha Jhawar, founder of CELES TÉ, spoke about how well the botanical-infused gin melded with the equally rich in botanicals Gold Rush tea, Caitlin Hill, the brand ambassador of The Botanist, suggested that a white spirit like gin is best used with a tea infusion.
Here's a quick guide to how to pick, mix and drink your gin.
Not too long ago, gin was seen as a drink for squares, as staid as the classic gin and tonic, the drink your grandparents liked, maybe?
That was then. Now, gin, particularly craft gin (made in small batches), has gained the ‘cool’ tag. India continues to be a whisky-drinking country, but is increasingly experimenting with gins, given the presence of top-notch gin brands in India, the Made in India gins, as well as the proliferation of several gin-based bars such as Juniper Bar at Hotel Andaz in Aerocity, or even bars such as Sidewalk in Delhi, Hakkasan in Mumbai, and Toast & Tonic in Bengaluru and Mumbai.
So, what exactly is the history of gin?
Gin has juniper berries as a base ingredient.
It is said that in the 11th century, Benedictine monks in Italy used juniper berries as flavouring in distilled spirits made in swan-necked alembic stills.
However, France and the Flanders are credited with the origin of gin. “The Dutch and Flemish distillers re-distilled malted barley spirit or malt wine with juniper, anise, caraway and coriander,” says Dennis Harley, a Dutch craft gin distiller living in Germany. “It was a medicinal liquor made by monks and alchemists. It came into its own as a fine spirit in England, when, during the Glorious Revolution (after James II, the King of England, Scotland and Ireland, was replaced by Mary II and her husband, William III of Orange).”
So popular was gin in England that the London Dry is legitimately a type of gin. It was made by three passionate distillers, Sam, Fairfax and Jared, from Sipsmith, the city’s first copper distillery. The clear and unsweetened spirit was flavoured with aromatic botanicals such as coriander, cassia, angelica and orris root. Unlike champagne, which is geotagged to a particular region in France, London Dry Gin can today be made by any distiller, anywhere in the world.
The gin-craze led to a backlash by several, including English artist William Hogarth, who in a bid to preserve the culture of drinking the native English ale, created a series of paintings called Beer Street and Gin Lane. The series of paintings were sold in twos – while one depicted the evils of gin drinking (people destroyed by their addiction to the foreign spirit), the other created a narrative for happy and healthy beer drinkers!
Over the years, the spirit has been associated with prohibition-era bathtubs, alcoholic writers, and warding off malaria!
Where does the word gin come from?
Gin derives its name from the medieval English word, genever.
How is India connected to the early popularity of gin?
In the 1700s, in a bid to save its men posted in India, particularly its soldiers, from malaria, the British empire gave them a mix of bitter quinine, sugar and gin. Today, this cocktail is known as Gin and Tonic. Many gin brands, such as Monkey47, have a direct connection to India: it was inspired by a secret gin recipe left behind by Madras-born Wing Commander Montgomery (Monty) Collins of the Royal Air Force, son of a British diplomat, who served in Germany before retiring in the Black Forest region.
Bombay Sapphire, one of the more popular gins coming out of England, was inspired by the popularity of gin among elites in British-era India; Sapphire refers to the violet-blue Star of Bombay sapphire which was mined in Sri Lanka.
How has gin evolved over the past century?
Gin has evolved into a far more layered spirit with the addition of various botanicals (citrus, cucumber, cardamom, cinnamon, lavender and such), spices and even fruits.
A gin renaissance began in 1999, when William Grant and Sons, known for their Scottish whiskies, launched Hendrick’s Gin. It won several awards, paving the way for other boutique gin brands. Its unique flavours come from the use of 13 ingredients: Bulgarian roses, cucumbers, and 11 botanicals, such as juniper, coriander, orange, lemon, angelic, orris root, cubeb berries, caraway seeds, chamomile, elderflower, and yarrow.
Zachary Connor de Git, brand ambassador of Monkey47, says, “It is the use of the right botanicals that make a lot of difference to a gin. You experiment with the botanicals and other natural ingredients you infuse the gin with, which sets the flavour profile.”
The range of botanicals that go into making a Monkey47 gin includes, besides foraged juniper, blossoms of acacias, jasmine, wild honeysuckle, bramble leaves, herbs such as chamomile and sage, musk seed, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, mandarin, lemon peels and more. The Monkey47 Sloe Gin is one of the most delicious gins I have tasted.
What defines a craft gin?
Craft gin is produced by boutique distilleries in very small batches. A big part of what makes craft gin interesting are the distillers behind it! They usually source their ingredients locally and put a lot of passion and love into creating their products. The difference is as stark as that between mass-produced fashion and a handcrafted, artisanal garment.
Among some of the best craft gins, you can count The Botanist Islay Dry Gin, Bloom Gin from England (a soft, floral and delicate gin with botanicals such as honeysuckle and pomelo), the American gin St George Spirits, the Botanivore Gin (made with 19 botanicals) and Leopold’s Summer Gin (a seasonal gin that is sold only during the European summer months and features sweet oranges from Spain, lemon myrtle from Australia, and immortal flowers from France.)
How is a gin distilled?
Gin makers blend dried grain such as maize or malted wheat with water and yeast. This blend is mixed into a gin mash and stored for one to two weeks. Once the fermentation is complete, the mash is strained of all the fermented solids. The liquid left behind is distilled and vaporised. The vapour is then collected and recondensed into pure liquid. Along the way, the botanicals are added.
How does India fare on the global gin landscape?
The Indian gin market is projected to touch US$ 413.7 million by the end of 2027, according to various market research agencies.
Much of gin’s popularity in the country has been turbocharged by the homegrown desi gin brands over the last few years. Nao Spirits' Greater Than, launched in 2017, is a craft gin that includes juniper and citrus that come from Macedonia and Spain, and fennel, coriander and ginger that are sourced from Goa and New Delhi.
Hapusa, again from the Nao Spirits team, sources the juniper berries from the Himalayan region and infuses the gin with turmeric, mango, coriander seeds and almonds.
Strangers & Sons comes from the Third Eye Distillery in Goa and is infused with ingredients such as black pepper, nutmeg, mace, coriander seed, angelica, liquorice, cassia and citrus peels.
Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin is made from botanicals such as lemongrass and Darjeeling green tea, while Samsara is distilled using the London Dry Gin method and has 11 botanicals.
There are several more Indian gins than we can mention here and it is among the most vibrant spirits segment in the country, after whisky and wine.
Which glass to use to serve gin?
Largely, the versatile highball glass is used for both Gin and Tonic and gin cocktails. Or a martini glass can be used. The tall and elegant G&T glass is designed to ensure a balanced serve of one part gin and two parts tonic.
So, how do I serve gin?
It is best used in a cocktail and never as a shot, says Zachary. Pair it with a slice of lemon or mix with dry vermouth or tonic. However, if it is a gin made from sloe berries, drink it neat! It has plummy, raisin-like flavours.
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