6 Best Homegrown Gins To Add To Your Bar Collection

India’s gin revolution is in full swing, with homegrown brands crafting world-class spirits infused with indigenous botanicals. From the fragrant juniper of the Himalayas to the citrusy zest of Nagpur oranges, these gins are redefining cocktail culture. Whether you prefer a classic G&T or an adventurous negroni, there’s a local gin that suits your palate. With distillers experimenting with unique flavour profiles, now is the perfect time to upgrade your bar with some of the best Indian gins. Here are six standout bottles that deserve a spot in your collection.

Kumaon And I

Kumaon and I, crafted by Himmaleh Spirits, is India’s first provincial gin with a farm-to-bottle approach emphasising the quality of its ingredients. The new gin crafted at a Uttarakhand-based distillery is made from fresh Himalayan spring water with rice-based extra-neutral alcohol (ENA) as its base. The complex flavours of a bouquet of 11 botanicals undergo a 16-hour maceration and are distilled for over nine hours.

Each sip of the drink transports you to the fields and farms where the ingredients come from. The new gin includes galangal, kinu, Timur, a bitter bark known as kammegh, black cardamom, black turmeric, and coriander seeds, among other ingredients. The walnuts in the gin, sourced from the founder’s own orchards, render a glorious and buttery texture to the gin. One can choose to drink this dry and spicy gin as a G&T or as a classic Negroni. 

The gin is available in Uttarakhand, Goa, Gurugram, Maharashtra, and Haryana. 

Samsara Vale Of Paradise

While Samsara’s Pink Gin took inspiration from the Pink City of Jaipur, their latest release, Vale of Paradise, is an ode to the terroir of the Kashmir valley. The gin follows two rounds of distillation. In the first round, it is distilled with botanicals, including Himalayan juniper, vetiver grass, hemp seeds, cardamom, rose petals, and cubeb berries.

This is followed by a round of distillation with Kashmiri kahwa and saffron. Tipplers can expect a sweet hint rendered by citrus fruits and a rich aroma of kahwa and saffron. It is almost like the beauty and essence of the Kashmir valley have been poured into your glasses. Consider it best to enjoy the gin on the rocks, with tonic, or as part of a cocktail.

Chambal Gin

The Chambal Gin is made by Bapuna Alcobrew, a company based in Gwalior. The homegrown gin consists of juniper berries, cinnamon bark, cardamom, lemon peel, and a velvety finish is rendered to the drink from the almonds. 

illed in Madhya Pradesh, the amber glass bottle of the gin carries motifs that represent Chambal, a region that gives its name to the gin. Rand ifles that reprethe almonds give the drink a velvety finishriver Chambal come together with the sips of the gin to pay an ode to Chambal. It is available in Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune.

Baagh Gin

Baagh boasts a citrus-forward profile that combines the zesty tang of Nagpur oranges and the crispiness of lime, combined with subtle hints of complimenting spice. The gin is refreshing, well-balanced, and easy on the palate. When you pick up this gin, rest assured that you are drinking for a purpose. "No Planet, no party," is what the gin's label reads.

The Chhota Hazri Spirits-crafted Baagh is a nod to the importance of conserving the natural world; a portion of the profits will be dedicated to agrobiodiversity and re-wilding initiatives in Assam, and the distillery also sources ingredients from local farmers to ensure that the land and its people, both benefit from the gin that pays a tribute to the natural world.

The makers also collaborated with artist Vikas Soni to create the artistic and beautiful label of the bottle. Along with adding another tasteful gin to your drinks stand, Baagh will be the most beautiful-looking gin bottle on the stands. Baagh is available in Mumbai, Pune, and Gurugram. 

Cherrapunji Gin

Sip the rainiest place on Earth with Mayukh Hazariuka’s Cherrapunji Gin. It bottles ingredients from across north-east India. From their orange peel that is sourced from the GI-tagged Khasi mandarin of Meghalaya and the tea that is sourced from the Lushai hills to the Kaji from the Assam valley and pepper that is grown in Meghalaya, Cherrapunji gin brings you north-eastern India in a colourful, stainless steel bottle that can also be recycled. 

The bottle also uses art to reflect life in Cherrapunji; consisting of a red panda, bamboo forests, and a colonial-era Bedford bus.  It is a vivacious drink that combines the flavours of these ingredients paired with water harvested from Mawsynram in Cherrapunji.

The gin is available in Shillong, Cherrapunji, and Guwahati.

Nisaki gin

Imagine sipping on a colour-changing Gin; Nisaki Gin is just that. The triple-distilled gin is smooth and infused with 16 organic botanicals, including a secret citrus blend with Macedonian juniper berries and a signature tea blend. The butterfly pea flowers give the homegrown gin a beautiful indigo colour, and the change of colour happens when it is mixed with water, tonic, and even soda. The drink is available in Goa.