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The best made-in-India spirits of 2023

FOOD & DRINK
The best made-in-India spirits of 2023
From liquor made of mahua flowers to a gin that bottles the rain from Mawsynram
BY RIA GUPTA AND ARUNDHATI AIL

27 December 2023
The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
2023 has been a year of drinking better and creating spirits that have left a mark. From Indri making headlines at this year’s Whiskies of the World Awards to Stranger & Sons Sherry Cask Aged Gin winning gold at Design and Packaging Masters 2023, homegrown liquor took big wins home this year. Equally exciting were some of the newest additions on the shelves, from a Himalayan dry gin to hyperlocal liquor in Goa and Madhya Pradesh. As we step into 2024, here’s a look at all the new spirits that came out of India that are worth adding to your bar.

Aurva red wine

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
In its decade-long presence in India, Chandon launched its first still wine in 2023. Named Aurva, Sanskrit for ‘of the earth’, it’s a red wine born from the rich red soil of Nashik’s Dindori region. The deep ruby Shiraz features a purple hue and nose that is rich in fruit and yet silky smooth. At 14% ABV, the wine is redolent of red and black fruit but releases florals upon a swirl. Decant the spirit for 30 minutes, and savour the hints of vanilla, coffee beans, and chocolate. Currently available in Nashik and Mumbai from Rs4,250. Website

Longitude 77

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
This year, liquor maker Pernod Ricard India forayed into the Indian single malt industry with the launch of Longitude 77. The name is inspired by the longitude that passes through the length of India at 77° east, while the spirit itself is produced in small batches in a distillery in Dindori, Nashik. Double aged in American Bourbon barrels and wine casks, Longitude 77 boasts hints of caramel and vanilla layered with a peated flavour. Currently available in Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Haryana, Chandigarh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh from Rs4,000. Website

SĪTÄRĀ

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
From the makers of Indian craft gin Samsāra came a new craft rum this year. Spaceman Spirits Lab Private Limited (SSLPL) launched SĪTÄRĀ, which umbrellas collection christened ‘The Maiden Voyage’. Part of this portfolio is the Barrel Aged White Rum, a blend of column and pot-distilled rums aged in virgin American oak barrels and charcoal filtered into a clear spirit, and the Botanical Spiced Rum, which is infused with seven handpicked botanicals including cinnamon, ginger, orange, hibiscus, vanilla, coffee and cacao beans. Currently available in Goa from Rs1,200. Website

Mond

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
The expansion of bigger, premium Indian labels is going hand in hand with the sprouting of hyperlocal spirits. Mahua liquor which was till now considered a “country liquor” rather than a proud Indian craft spirit, was declared as a heritage spirit by the government of Madhya Pradesh in 2021. Now, in 2023, we have Mond, the first Mahua spirit in India distilled by indigenous tribes. Created by the Bhil and Bhilala tribes in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Maharashtra, Mond uses traditional brewing methods coupled with modern techniques for temperature control and quicker fermentation. The result is a smooth, additive-free liquor at 38% ABV. The mahua flavours lend Mond earthy and floral notes that are best enjoyed on the rocks, with a dash of soda and a slice of Gondhoraj or Italian lemon. Currently available in Madhya Pradesh from Rs800.

Mohulo

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
Following the launch of the first heritage mahua liquor this August, there’s now a gin featuring the star ingredient that’s having a moment in India’s fine dining scene. Mohulo comes from Smoke Lab, the distillery behind Smoke Lab Vodka. CEO and founder Varun Jain calls the limited-edition homegrown gin a sipping gin, with complex flavours best enjoyed with two cubes of ice and a citrus or herb garnish. The mahua seed is its primary botanical, along with 12 others, including honey, basmati rice, orange blossom, bay leaf, orange peel, liquorice and coriander. A percentage from the sale of every bottle will go towards an NGO supporting indigenous tribes of Chhattisgarh. “This is a drink for an experienced, mature drinker—someone who enjoys and appreciates not just gin but a range of alcohol,” says Jain. “Don’t spoil it with soda or tonic, just sip it as is. Enjoy it slow and steady like you would a single malt.” Currently available in Delhi from Rs5,000. Website

Baagh gin

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
Riding the homegrown spirit wave, Baagh Gin launched in July as a spirit from the land, of the land, for the land. With notes of Nagpur orange and lime spiked with spice–all sourced from local plantations surrounding the distillery in Nagpur–this gin is extremely smooth on the palate. Baagh is the brainchild of Chhota Hazri Spirits, an Indian spirits manufacturing company founded by Jatin Dev Bobb, Mohamed Rizwan and Manu Chandra. Catching the eye before the spirit hits the throat is the bottle, which features artwork by artist Vikas Soni as a nod to Indian gardens. The brand is known to send its profits towards rewilding and agrobiodiversity efforts in Assam through the Balipara Foundation. Currently available in Mumbai and Pune from Rs2,000. Website

Kumaon & I

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
This Himalayan dry gin is the first product of Himmaleh Spirits, a young Uttarakhand-based distillery with a hyperlocal approach. The new gin is made from fresh Himalayan springwater and the complex flavours of 11 regional botanicals distilled for nine hours. These include galgal, black turmeric, thuner leaves, coriander seeds, kinnu, a bark known as kalmegh, local peppers known as timur, rose and walnuts. Expect spicy peppercorns and citrus on the nose and a medium dry long finish on the palate. Drink it as a G&T or a classic Negroni. Currently available in Uttarakhand, Goa, Gurugram, Maharashtra and Haryana from Rs2,700. Website

Cherrapunji Gin

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
This new homegrown gin quite literally bottles the rain in Cherrapunji. Founded by Shillong native Mayukh Hazarika, Cherrapunji Gin is all bright, vivacious flavours of fresh, creamy junipers from the Eastern Himalayas in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Also in the mix are pungent peppers and other spices, along with a hint of smokiness. Team Cherrapunji sources all the botanicals on its own from Northeast India and harvests rainwater in the town of Mawsynram near Cherrapunji. They source their orange peel from the GI-tagged Khasi mandarin of Meghalaya and the tea from Assam, while the peppers are grown exclusively in Meghalaya’s forests. Apart from its production, what makes the gin unique is also its stainless steel bottle embellished with vibrant art that reflects life in Meghalaya, that’s designed to be reused. Currently available in Meghalaya from Rs2,500. Instagram

Chambal Gin

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
Located near the heart of India, Chambal is known for its untamed eponymous river that’s made deep ravines and an ecosystem of flora and fauna around it. Chambal Gin draws inspiration from the region’s unrestrained beauty and is distilled in Madhya Pradesh. The homegrown gin consists of wild cinnamon bark, layers of black and green cardamom, dried lemon peel and an infusion of almonds that adds a smoothness to the drink. The bottle carries motifs drawn from the region, like rifles that hark back to the infamous dacoits who found refuge in Chambal’s ravines, the gharials you can find just under the surface of the water, and the ripples of the free-flowing river. Enjoy it with elderflower spirit, lime, fresh cucumber juice, orange peel and tonic. Currently available in Delhi from Rs1,950. Instagram

SOCI Gin

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
From the craft liquor platform House of Good Barrel Distillery Pvt Ltd and Living Liquidz, comes SOCI Gin. Among the newest in Goa, the gin was created to be experimented with. “Consumers nowadays are open to experimenting and are constantly looking out for something new and are drawn towards artisanal and craft beverages. With SOCI, we want to offer younger drinkers a great quality liquid that is trendy, non-complicated, and easy to drink,” says co-founder Mokksh Sani. The gin bursts with flavours of cucumber and citrus, alongside other botanicals like pepper, coriander and cardamom. If you’re getting a bottle, try using it in fun cocktails. Infuse it with rose and cardamom or cucumber and mint, or enjoy it as a classic gimlet or gin mojito. Currently available in select restaurants in Mumbai from Rs2,400. Instagram

Cotombi Reserve

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
Adinco Distillery—the team behind Tickle Gin—recently unveiled Cotombi Reserve, India’s first charred whisky. The distillers at Adinco borrowed from the practice of using charred barrels in the production of bourbon to create this new Indian whisky. After the infusion, toasted vanilla and deep-roasted oak chips are introduced to the whisky to add a richer flavour and subtle sweetness to it. Expect smoky undertones on the palate, along with notes of vanilla. Currently available in Goa and Maharashtra from Rs2,200. Instagram

Goenchi Feni

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
Goenchi is a Konkani word that stands for ‘of Goa’ and this new artisanal feni brand is inherently Goan. Founded by sibling duo Yash and Tulika Sawardekar, the feni is double-distilled in small batches in traditional 100% copper stills, and made with a closely guarded family recipe. The brand has two versions of feni—coconut and cashew. The former has tasting notes of tender coconut water, sea salt and green chilli with a sweet floral finish, while the latter has more fruity flavours like jackfruit, pineapple and guava cheese with green pepper. The coconut feni is best served chilled with tonic water or soda and a twist of lime, while the cashew feni goes great with a lemon soda and orange twist. Currently available in Goa from Rs1,500. Website

Moji Feni

The best madeinIndia spirits of 2023
Moji feni is produced by fermenting cashew juice for an extended period of time. This longer fermentation allows for a more thorough conversion of sugars into alcohol, resulting in a cleaner and smoother flavour profile—ideal for those not familiar with feni. Moji, when translated from Konkani, means ‘mine’ and the founders Reuben Ramos and Tanishq Palyekar hope to uphold Goan traditions with the feni while making it more versatile for drinkers. Currently available in Goa from Rs1,000. Instagram

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INDIA
NEWS & ADVICE
A Guide to India’s Must-Try Spirits
From the floral notes of mahua to potent millet beer, there are various regional liquors to explore in India.
BY JOANNA LOBO

February 24, 2021
Kinnaur Kailash Sacred Peak India
Getty
India has a long history with alcohol. It’s been consumed for centuries, and there are references to alcoholic fermentation and distillation that date back to 200 B.C.

Today, alcohol in India is broadly categorized as foreign liquor, Indian-made foreign liquor, and Indian-made Indian Liquor (also known as country liquor or desi daaru). Indigenous spirits fall under the country liquor category and are often considered subpar. In reality, they are some of the country's best spirits, and are made by artisans who struggle with selling them due to archaic license laws. These distinctive regional liquors—palm toddy in Kerala, rice beer or wine in the North East, mahua in central India, and cashew feni in Goa—offer wonderful insight into the country’s diverse cultures and local produce. Here's what to know about these spirits, and where to find them on your travels or at home.

Feni
Feni, produced in Goa, is a clear, colorless drink with a high alcohol content ranging between 42 and 45 percent. Local variations include cashew feni, distilled from cashew fruit, and coconut feni, distilled from the sap of the coconut tree. Cashew feni has a strong aroma, and is best sipped neat, or with a citrus mixer like Limca, a lemon-and-lime flavored carbonated drink. Coconut feni is milder in flavor and aroma, and usually drank neat.

Ripening Cashew Nuts in Tree
Cashew feni, produced in Goa, is distilled from cashew fruit. Getty
Feni has a Geographical Index tag, which means it can only be produced and sold in Goa; it can also be exported abroad. All liquor shops in Goa sell feni—look out for branded names like Cazulo and Big Boss, plus local taverns are often judged by their homemade feni. Bars in Goa like For The Record Vinyl Bar and Joseph’s Bar are innovating with feni cocktails like the Goan Bloody Mary, made with guava juice and cashew feni.

Rice wine and beer
In many parts of Northeastern India, tribal communities brew and consume beer or wine made of rice. The brews are made with a starter cake, which combines steamed glutinous rice and herbs, plants, and spices. The different fermentation times and the variation in the starter cakes determine the flavor. You’ll find these under various names in each region: there’s chubitchi in Meghalaya, the sour beer zutho in Nagaland, xaj and apong in Assam, langi in Tripura; and handia, and chhang in several states.

Sekmai yu is a local rice liquor distilled in Manipur. Its smooth taste is reminiscent of vodka, though a few compare it to Japanese sake. The most popular rice wine is judima, the traditional of the Dimasa tribe in Assam. The fermented beverage uses a starter cake, or humao, prepared from the bark of the thembra plant. This is mixed with local glutinous rice that is boiled and air dried, and kept to ferment in earthen vessels. Locals believe judima has many health benefits; in fact, newborn babies are given a taste of the drink to keep away bad luck. The wine is now available in shops under the name Judima; it’s also available at the annual Judima Festival showcasing the Dima Hasao region in late December.

Toddy
In Kerala, coconut trees provide nourishment in the form of a murky white alcoholic brew called toddy, or kallu.

Toddy Tapper
A toddy tapper collecting the coconut palm sap used to make toddy. Alamy
Toddy is made of the sap of coconut palm trees, collected by professional climbers (toddy tappers) and left to ferment. The yeast in the air aids the fermentation process, producing a slightly sweet and tart drink. Toddy has a short lifespan and hence cannot be bottled. If it’s left to ferment for longer than a couple of days, it becomes vinegar; if distilled, it is called arrack.

Toddy can be found in toddy shops or kallu shaaps in Kerala, where they help tamp the heat of the spicy and semi-dry beef and fish dishes the region is known for.

Fruit wines
India’s harsh climate isn’t technically suited for large-scale viticulture, but there are a few domestic wineries dotting the western part of the country that produce premium bottled wine made from grapes.

Across the country, there are a variety of homemade wines made from grapes, and others made from fruits or grains. Ladakh has rguntshang or gunshang, a mildly alcoholic fermented grape drink. There’s a fortified wine prepared in Mizoram called Zawlaidi (love potion) or ZO wine, made from a grape variety called lambrusca. In the mountainous region of Kinnaur, Angoori is a potent wine made from red and green grapes, which varies in intensity from a sweet port to a dry red. Recently, an entrepreneur in Nagaland created dragon fruit wine, bottled under Dream Dragon Fruit Wine.

Mahua
Mahua
Mahua is a tropical tree found in India’s central and eastern plains. The tree is important to the lives and culture of tribal Adivasi communities.

The sweet flowers are sun-dried, fermented with a yeast-infused rice cake, mixed with cane sugar like jaggery, and doubled-distilled for a delicious, faintly floral spirit. Every version of mahua liquor varies in clarity, potency, and taste.

Image may contain Plant Fruit and Food
Mahua comes from a tropical tree by the same name, found in India’s central and eastern plains. ePhotocorp
Mahua is one of the country’s most well-known indigenous liquors and yet, it’s difficult for regular consumers to find. For five years, Desmond Nazareth has been working toward getting mahua accepted in the mainstream alcohol industry. His brand, Desmondji, launched a mahua and a mahua liqueur flavored with honey and spices in 2018; both are available in liquor stores in Goa and Karnataka.

Royal liqueurs
These liqueurs, influenced by Rajasthan’s royal past and made from herbs, roots, and spices, were meant largely for medicinal and restorative purposes among the upper castes, though they were sometimes consumed recreationally. Each royal house had its own highly guarded recipe for these herbaceous but strong liquors and brews. Though these liqueurs were banned after India’s
independence in 1947, the government lifted regulations in 1998, allowing for production and sale once again.

Several of these are on the market today: The most popular is Kesar Kasturi from the House of Marwar, which traditionally contained saffron (kesar) and deer musk (kasturi, which is now banned as an ingredient), as well as dried fruits, herbs, nuts, spices, and condiments blended with milk and ghee. The Kanota family created Chandrahaas in 1863, using over 100 herbs and spices like kesar, rose, nutmeg, white sandalwood, and dried fruits. Meanwhile, the bitter brew of the Sodawas in Jodhpur, Royal Mawalin, has dates and dried fruits and other ingredients, and is treated as a restorative.

The Royal Heritage Liqueur Distillery in Jaipur distills the above liqueurs and others, which are then sold at liquor shops across the state.

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/a-guide-to-indias-must-try-spirits

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John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"