Image: @monkey47_dry_gin/Instagram

The (new) gin to your tonic

You would ideally reach for a well-deserved glass of whisky towards the end of a long week. However, the other tipple that’s demanding your attention from the bar is the humble bottle (or twenty) of gin. Here are some of the most recent favourites from our list of All Things Alcohol that your collection needs to have right now.

The best gins to drink this year

Monkey 47

A 47-botanical based dry gin, Monkey 47 made its way to India this year from Germany. The Pernod Ricard-owned alcohol has several layers of flavour – like chamomile, acacia flowers, spruce shoots and more— making it one of the most complex gins out there. Monkey 47 seems to be currently available in luxury cocktail bars and hotels across India. Time to get packing.

Price: Rs. 5000

@monkey47_dry_gin/Instagram

Bulldog

Originally owned by Indian-American Wall Street banker Anshuman Vohra, Bulldog was sold to Spain’s Campari. Before he had to let go of his gin, The story goes that Vohra wanted to make the booze more appealing to the younger crowd. And he did what any rule-breaker would do: alter the formula. He reduced the juniper, which happens to be the main ingredient in making any gin and added various other ingredients of Moroccan, Turkish, and Chinese origins.

Price: Rs 3500- 4500

@allthedog/Instagram

Greater Than (>)

Thanks to tipple masters Vaibhav Singh and Anand Virmani of Delhi’s Perch fame, homegrown brand Greater Than (>) is the London Dry Gin to drink this hour. Right from Bulgarian juniper berries to Moroccan orange peels and more, the men have thought of everything, including the pricing point. Greater Than (>) is well on its way to becoming available soon.

Price: Rumoured at Rs 950

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Hapusa

Fun fact: gin and tonic was invented as a cure in India during the British rule when malaria was doing the rounds among soldiers and civilians alike. With ingredients that you’ll find in your kitchen such as cardamom, ginger, coriander and more, Hapusa is a Himalayan dry gin that is Indian as it gets. And easy on your wallet, too, just like Greater Than (>). Well done, Singh and Virmani. Really well done. Hapusa  is well on its way to becoming available soon, along with a preview of the bottle!

Price: Rumoured at Rs 2000