December 5 2019  |  Spirits & Tobacco

Raise a toast to Gindia: India’s Craft Gin from the house of Wild Tiger

By Jas Ryat


Distilled from grain and made from 100% Indian botanicals, Gindia Original Craft Gin is the proud product of Kerala, India

GINtresting fact: The birthplace of G&T finally stakes claim to the first craft gin made from 100 % Indian botanicals.

Originating from the British East India Company in colonial India, gin & tonic has a long and layered history. Rewind to the 1700s: Scottish doctor, George Cleghorn, was studying how quinine (a traditional treatment) could be used to prevent malaria.

Although the quinine was drunk in tonic water, its bitter taste was unpleasant.

During the 19th century, British service members in India who were served a gin ration began to add a mixture of water, sugar, lime and gin to the medication to make it more palatable. Thus, the iconic gin & tonic cocktail was born. The sweet concoction grew on them and as they say, “the rest is history”.

Back to present day: Gindia Original Craft Gin is the proud product of Kerala, India.

It is distilled from grain and billed as an “Indian Style Gin”. It’s an amalgam of both classic gin botanicals and hand-picked Indian botanicals including Himalayan Juniper, Assam Tea, Green Cardamom, Black Pepper, Clove and Sweet Orange peel – just to name a few of the 23 botanicals that go into its production.


A snapshot of Wild Tiger Beverages’ portfolio: as a company, Wild Tiger embraces innovation and social responsibility as its core values

Gindia is produced at Wild Tiger’s distillery in the state of Kerala. Gautom Menon, Founder, Wild Tiger Beverages, explains: “We have been working on this for nearly two years with a scientific approach and finally we go into full production in the new year. We have been showcasing it to buyers in the duty free industry, importers and distributors for a few months now and the response has been encouraGINg. Already, we have confirmed listings with 8 out of the top 20 global duty free operators for Gindia Original.”

Although Gautom conceived the idea of a quintessential Indian gin more than a decade ago, he first wanted to make his mark with Wild Tiger Rum. “Like Rum, Gin evokes a seamless and spectacular story of India. India is the botanical capital of the world; no other gastronomy uses as many spices as Indian cuisine does. What’s more, gin is going through an extraordinary growth period worldwide,” he adds.

With the tagline: GINtrinscially Indian Gin, the product is displayed in a white bottle with a pearl look. Featuring a debossed outline in brushed metal, the bottle is made using recylced glass. The patented design depicts the key botanicals and all inks used are eco-friendly. It comes with a high-quality, embossed cork stopper. In addition to the tagline, the craft gin is represented by Dia: The Gin Goddess, who serves as the mystical mascot of the brand. The lucky lady even has a signature cocktail named after her.

As a company, Wild Tiger Beverages embraces innovation and social responsibility as its core values. The botanicals and spices are sourced from farmers and tribes across the length and breadth of the expansive country. Inclusive growth is a key focus of the company’s mission.

The initial launch of Gindia Original (bottled at 43% abv.) will be supported with gin glasses as GWP and HPP promotions at select airport locations.

REGION Asia
Copyright 2024 DutyFree Magazine. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Sitemap