New Spirits That Will Spruce Up Your Bar This Winter

From Internationally crafted whiskeys to homegrown gins, India&rsquos alcobev business is charting new heights with its experimental spirit. While winters are for lazy brunches, conversations and unwinding with family, add a dash of these new spirits to your evenings (or mornings, we don&rsquot discriminate) for an extra something. 

Camikara

Labelled as the first pure cane juice rum from India, Camikara by Piccadily Distilleries is matured in American oak casks for 12 years. Inspired by Laahan, a local brew made from cane juice in Punjab households, this rum is an ode to Indian heritage and traditions. Sans added colours, caramel, sugar or flavour, it has the credit of being a naturally aged rum. Camikara translates to &ldquoliquid gold&rdquo, and its stunning golden-brown colour is as delicious as it is visually appealing. 

Dewar&rsquos Japanese Smooth Scotch Whisky

Dewar's latest offering, their Japanese Smooth Scotch Whisky is made with a unique blending process that involves maturing for a short time in Japanese Mizunara Oak casks. The resulting whisky is unique and features subtle floral honey and heather notes along with complex sandalwood aromas on the nose followed by cinnamon spice on the palette &ndash a result of the porous qualities of the rare 200-year-old Mizunara oak tree variety, also known as the &ldquowater oak&rdquo, giving it a full-bodied woody finish.

Legacy

Bacardi in India announced its foray into the Indian-made whisky segment with the launch of &lsquoLEGACY&rsquo. With a unique blend of fruity notes layered with subtle peaty flavours and undertones of toasted oaks with a whiff of spice, the whisky also has a decadent smoky vanilla finish that is warm and tasteful. Legacy&rsquos combination of Indian and Scottish malts with Indian grains pays off and makes for a great drink, especially in winter.

Great Indian Gin

Crafted by NJ Menon, this triple distilled gin is infused with natural botanicals such as juniper berries, lemon peel, cardamom, fennel, coriander and more to give it a spicy afternote that is perfect for the Indian palate. This concoction of herbs and spices is ideal for winters and comes in three variants, including a flagship product and Green Apple and Orange flavoured gins for those who like experimenting with their drinks.

Malhar  

Raga Malhar, if rightly sung, was believed to bring rain even on a clear day. And this new gin is an ode to the Indian monsoon that gives life. Malhar, by John Distilleries, comes in two variants The Malhar Classic Dry Gin and The Malhar Citrus. The former is a classic juniper gin enriched with botanicals, while the latter has a citrusy base, with lime as the hero ingredient, along with hibiscus and angelica. These almost-fruity gins are perfect for winters and will soon be available in many states across India. 

The Short Story

Third Eye Distillery's&nbspnewly launched Short Story spirits are perfect for warm cocktails this winter. The portfolio&nbspbrings three go-to spirits to you&ndasha classic London dry gin with a juniper backbone, a triple distilled, charcoal-filtered grain vodka, and an Indo-Caribbean white rum.

Lone Wolf

The latest entrant in the beer segment, Lone Wolf is fresh, rich and aromatic, making it a favourite among regulars at popular watering holes. Brewed in Punjab, the beer comes with a two-year shelf life and is available in two variants, strong and mild lager. With plans to add more variants to their expanding portfolios, Lone Wolf is made with Germany-imported hops and yeasts and is available in Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh. 

GianChand Single Malt Whisky

Matured in a distillery that has been producing quality malt spirits since 1961, GianChand Single Malt, the newest introduction by Devans Modern Breweries Ltd, is a delicate Indian malt with soft barley and spice notes, made better by a vanilla backbone. a pineapple drop candy sweetness carried hand-in-hand by barley and a firm vanilla backbone softened by thin oils that ensure the tannin build. Its making, which happens in Jammu, is made better due to the optimal climate that allows the fragile malt and exotic fruit notes to come to the fore. 

Ashanti Spiced Rum 

Ashanti Spiced Rum traverses a long journey from Guatemala to India before impressing rum aficionados with its fresh flavour profile. Made with fermented sugarcane honey, this rum is spiced using Jamaican Hibiscus flower and special ginger from Bengal. With a spicy, citric note, Ashanti is surely for rum drinkers who wish to experiment with different tastes.  

Broken Bat

While flavoured gin panders to vodka aficionados, Broken Bat, a new gin, will appeal to the legion of whisky drinkers. The makers wanted to create their version of a barrel-aged gin and merged India's cricket-hooked spirit with alcohol. The result is a woody affair. While other kinds of wood were considered, they decided to take Kashmir Willow or, more popularly, cricket bats. They shaved and cleaned the bats and soaked them in a high-proof Greater Than gin for six weeks. The result was a twist on a classic gin that tastes almost like whisky The limited edition will be available in 6 states in India, starting in Goa, followed by Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal by December 2022.

Choya Japanese Liqueur 

Bring the taste of Japan to your bar with Choya Fruit Liqueur, which is famous for its Umeshu. With four variants - The Choya Single Year, The Choya Extra Years, The Choya Extra Shiso, and The Choya Royal Honey, this aromatic liqueur is elegant and balanced in its texture and leaves notes of almond and marzipan. The Extra Shiso is herby and slightly bitter, so tread lightly. This liqueur has made its entry into India with Monika Alcobev.