How India’s evolving gin culture is turning brands into storytellers

Be it Mumbai or Bengaluru, gin has become the go-to drink for many enthusiasts. The burgeoning cocktail culture can be partially credited for the versatile spirit's growing popularity, which in turn gave impetus to several homegrown gin brands. While imported gins have long dominated the Indian market, the Indian gins have managed to find audiences across the nation, from loyalists drinking London Dry, to millennials who swear by craft and homegrown indulgences.
Bolstered by festivals, bar takeovers, and interesting mixer brands, India's evolving gin scene is at a pretty exciting stage wherein patrons are willing to experiment with diverse flavour profiles, and brands are building and communicating narratives that are unique. We spoke to industry experts to understand how they're forging their own paths in India's dynamic gin culture.

Botanicals maketh gin

"When we're talking about gin, you have one primary botanical that's juniper berries, and the rest is pretty much open as there's no strict law which defines which botanicals can or cannot go into a gin, so this is what all homegrown brands are kind of are playing on," explains Aditya Aggarwal, founder of Samsara gin.
Speaking of Samsara's signature taste, he adds, "We differentiate ourselves primarily in terms of our taste that comes in from our botanicals. We use rose, cardamom, vetiver (Khuss), and hemp seeds - these have been deliberately picked because we wanted quintessentially Indian botanicals that will transport you, and leave you with a nostalgic sensory experience. The whole purpose behind creating Samsara was to create a gin that has notes of India."

Another prominent homegrown gin Stranger and Sons has a unique botanical makeup. "Stranger and Sons has a three-dimensional flavour profile. The citrus peels give the gin a beautiful freshness on the front palate that is rounded off with a robust blend of warm spices including black pepper, mace, nutmeg and coriander that give it a strong spiced middle. Liquorice, cassia bark and mace make the finishing flourish smooth, earthy and sweet," shares Sakshi Saigal, director and co-founder of Third Eye Distillery.

While homegrown brands try to bottle the essence of Indian botanicals, Hendrick's - a legacy gin bottle and distilled in Scotland offers patrons a delightfully floral spirit. "Hendrick's follows an intricate creation process. In essence, to make one gin, we first create two. One on an old-fashioned pot still, yielding a rich and intricate spirit, and the other on a long-necked Carter Head, producing a more delicates and refined spirit. Each still is infused with an unusual symphony of 11 botanicals: chamomile, elderflower, juniper, lemon peel, orange peel, caraway, coriander, cubeb berries, angelica root, yarrow root and orris root. The gins from the two stills are then married together and graced with infusions of rose and cucumber to yield the final result. This odd method of making gin enables Hendrick's to taste light, yet intriguingly complex," says Payal Nijhawan, head of marketing at William Grant and Sons in India.

Aditya Aggarwal (left), Sakshi Saigal (centre), and Payal Nijhawan (right) talk about connecting with audiences through their brands' distinct stories and botanicals. Photo courtesy: Samsara, Third Eye Distillery, and William Grant and Sons

Spirits with personality

What's interesting about gin is that unlike whiskey or vodka, people are willing to try more domestic brands versus the international ones, which enables homegrown brands to play not only on the botanicals, but also on the stories that they're telling through their botanicals, and the different aspects of the personality they're giving the brand. "Another thing that really helps distinguish us (Samsara) from others is our belief in the storytelling, and the fantasy element that we've given our brand with the legend of Samsara, and the Lady Samsara story. This fantasy element lends mystery, and helps us build up stories with different sub-plots. The diverse characters that you've associated with the gin helps us carve out our niche," poses Aggarwal.

Elaborating on how Stranger and Sons captures the essence of contemporary India and engages consumers, Saigal shares, "What makes Stranger and Sons different is how we celebrate our diverse and complicated history while recognising India in its current context instead of the stereotypical version with just palaces, elephants, and so on. Embracing this wonderful strangeness inherent in the contemporary India we live in today through our gin allows consumers to connect with the story and the brand in a very organic manner."

Indian brands might have taken a feather out of international brands who have long relied on enticing narratives. "The Hendrick's consumer is peculiarly intelligent and eccentrically curious. Driven by this curiosity, our audience includes 30- 45-year-olds from metro cities who delight in discovery, seeking out that which enlightens, stimulates and amuses them. With a penchant of flirting with and trying the unknown, they are seeking better drinking and dining experiences be it over celebratory or special occasions. The ‘unusualness' of the liquid and the way in which it is created is communicated by us through curated events, where we often serve gin in alternative vessels, such as teacups used during high tea brunches. Our association with poetry continues to be a key distinguishing point as well. Be it at on-ground events or partnering with up-and-coming poets to introduce brand launches and campaigns, our aim has been to surprise consumers with something unexpected, concludes Nijhawan.

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