India’s history with gin goes way back. In fact, India is the home of the adored G&T! Over the last decade, their production has really stepped up, leaning into the delicious fragrance of their tropical fruits and spices to make mouth-watering blends.
And gin is only half the story! Check out the best Indian gins below, as well as other spirits using those splendid Indian flavours.
Made in India
Jaisalmer Gin
This Indian craft gin comes from Radico Khaitan, the same producer behind Rampur whisky which we’ll get to in a bit! Produced at the foothills of the Himalayas, 11 botanicals create a welcoming fragrant juniper-forward gin. 7 of those botanicals are Indian, meaning there’s very pleasant spice and uplifting citrus from coriander, orange and lemon peel, cubeb pepper berries, Darjeeling green tea leaves and cardamom. It’s ideal for a bold and aromatic G&T.
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 43%
Find here: UK £38.95 // US $54.89
Stranger & Sons Gin
This is a Gold Medal winner at the Asian Gin Masters for consecutive years now, picked out for its unique profile. Made in Goa on the Indian west coast, Third Eye Distillery uses home-grown pepper and coriander for a persistent spicy undertone, lifted by native Indian citruses like sweet Gondhoraj limes from Calcutta and Nagpur oranges. The warmth of sweet liquorice rounds it off beautifully. And the cherry on top, all used citrus is returned to be made into cordials or pickles so nothing is wasted!
Size: UK 700ml
ABV: 42.8%
Find here: £32.94 (usually more!)
Hapusā Gin
Nao Spirits bring us this Himalayan craft gin and we can’t praise it enough. Fully deserving of the Gold medal for Contemporary Gin at the World Gin Awards, the botanicals are a celebration of kitchen cupboard Indian ingredients like ginger, cardamom, turmeric, mango, coriander seeds, almonds and Gondhoraj limes. The mango and Gondhoraj in particular make this gin stand out from the rest, making for a super vibrant and tangy gin anchored by a subtle earthiness. We’d say keep to a plain good quality tonic for this one to give the botanicals room to shine.
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 43%
Find here: UK £38.95 // US $43.99
Rampur Double Cask Single Malt Whisky
This Indian Single Malt is mostly matured in American oak bourbon as well as European oak sherry casks imparting sweet dry sherry spice, earthy vanilla pods and baking spice. If you love sweet well-rounded whiskies then this gorgeously packaged bottle is a must-try.
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 45%
Find here: UK £59.95 // US $89.99
Amrut Fusion
Sipping on this delightfully complex whisky may throw up some reminiscence of Scotland, and that’s because the ‘fusion’ here is the combination of Indian barley and peated Scottish barley. The Amrut Distillery in Bangalore blends the two to layer up the mildly smoky peat with vibrant dried stone fruits, a little rich honey and a long spiced finish. The soft, smooth woodiness would make a gorgeous Rob Roy and it was voted the best whisky for just that in New York in 2012!
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 50%
Find here: UK £53.94 // US $76.99
Paul John Bold
‘Paul John’s Bold’ almost sounds like an aftershave, but it’s actually one of the best fully peated Indian whiskies around. Like Amrut Fusion, Scotland is involved and this time it’s Islay peat that makes its way over to Goa and dries out Indian barley. Honeyed oak and fruity coffee come to the fore with a gentle spice and subtle peaty finish. Great stuff from an intriguing producer.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 46%
Find here: £39.99
Flavours of India
6 O'clock Gin - Romy's Edition
6 O’clock Gin worked closely with celebrated chef Romy Gill MBE who we actually talked to on Episode 82 of the Bring a Bottle podcast! Ginger and lime are stalwarts of Indian cooking and here they’re infused with the juice of India’s national fruit – the mango. The spice is reserved, the fruits are rich and as a G&T with mango garnish, it’s in a world of its own.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £37.50
Love Delhi Gin
Love Delhi looks at a gin from the culinary perspective because it’s made by one of the most popular Indian caterers in the UK. Mango sits at the centre of the blend, alongside prominent rich juniper and pomegranate that counterbalance the spicy undertone perfectly. It’s a wonderfully tropical gin that really sings with a dash of tonic. By the way, if you ever liked Mumbai Gin then this is the rebrand!
Size: 700ml
ABV: 37.5%
Find here: £27.99
Crazy Gin Lassi
We just love sipping on this during Episode 86 of the Bring a Bottle podcast. The idea is simple – create an Indian-British drink in the same way as British-Indian food has come together so successfully. Turmeric, coriander, black pepper, cumin, and pomegranate add spice and bittersweetness, joined by creamy yoghurt (Lassi is an Indian yoghurt drink). The gin is also fat washed with ghee so it’s unbelievably smooth. We’d recommend trying it for a really distinct martini.
Size: 500ml
ABV: 41%
Find here: £39.94
Sollasa
Sticking with Indian food, this is a spirit specifically designed to complement just that. The ‘Manasollasa’ is a 12th-century Indian recipe book considered to be the first of its kind so that’s where the name comes from. A lovely gin alternative, it’s incredibly refreshing with mandarin, lychee, mint, and cardamom for a citrus-forward food-loving spirit. At just 20%, you can sip on it for a lot longer than other spirits if you’re eating something particularly fiery, and it will also add oodles of flavour to a cocktail without so much alcohol. Look at the bottle too! Stunning.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 20%
Find here: £27.59
The flavours on display here complement Indian food wonderfully, but if you want some other options including beer and wine to deal with those bold and spicy flavours, check out ‘What You Should Be Drinking With Curry’.