Amrut Distilleries, the pioneers of the Indian single malt revolution and makers of iconic brands such as the Fusion, Spectrum, Naarangi and Amalgam, has ventured into the world of craft gins with a unique offering – the Nilgiris Indian Dry Gin.

Handcrafted at the distillery in Bengaluru, in locally made copper pot stills, this gin uses botanicals that are sourced from the Nilgiri Hills (Blue Mountains) in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, along with some imported juniper berries.

Nilgiris are a part of the Western Ghats, over 7,000 feet above sea level, and have a vast area dedicated to tea plantation and a variety of Indian spices.

Distilled by Nikhil Varma, it has juniper berries, coriander seeds, lemongrass, angelica and orris roots, mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, Nilgiris tea and paan (betelnut leaf).

Paan, consumed as a very popular digestif, acts as a floral bridge between the elegance of a classic gin and the robustness of spices, adding a unique definition and character in the gin space.

It has the classic dry gin notes of juniper, citrus, raw mango and pine. In addition, it offers subtle hints of brewed tea, spice and mellowness of paan, rounding off the complexity with its floral undertones.

It is in equal part a robust gin when consumed neat as it is delicately delightful when had with a mixer and in cocktails. Nilgiris Indian Dry Gin is now available in Bengaluru at Rs 2,464 for a 750-ml bottle. More regions across India and the world will soon follow.