Cherrapunji Eastern Craft Indian Gin 75cl

A good G&T shouldn’t taste like a placeholder drink. It should make you pause for a second and go, wait, what is this? This Indian gin does exactly that, pulling you toward Cherrapunji in Meghalaya, a famously rain-soaked corner of Northeast India with serious mood, greenery and misty-hill energy. It’s still recognisably gin, with juniper doing the steering, but the fun is in the lift around it: citrus peel, fresh herbs and a gentle spice trail that keeps things lively.

• Nose: Bright juniper up front, followed by citrus zest, leafy herbs and a cool, rain-fresh freshness that feels more mountain path than perfume counter.
• Taste: Clean and lively, with piney juniper, lemon and orange peel, soft spice and a green botanical edge. It has enough character for a simple serve, without bullying your tonic into submission.
• Finish: Crisp, dry and gently spiced, with citrus peel and herbal notes hanging around just long enough to make the next sip feel like a good idea.

This is the kind of gin to grab when you’re bored of ordering “just a gin and tonic” and hoping for the best. Pour it with a dry Indian tonic, add a lime peel or a wedge of grapefruit, and let the citrus do the talking. If you want to keep things cleaner, try it in a Martini with a lemon twist. If you’re feeling cocktail-ish, it’ll also bring a fresh, herbal lift to a Tom Collins.

If Tanqueray is your safe house, this is the next door you should open. You still get that proper juniper backbone, so it won’t feel like someone swapped your gin for a botanical science project. But the Indian origin gives it a different accent, especially if you like spirits with a sense of place. It’s not trying to be another copy of a classic British profile. Good.

The best part is how easy it is to use. Some gins are built for one trick only, usually a G&T or nothing. This one has enough citrus and spice to stretch across serves, but it doesn’t get so loud that you need three cocktail books and a minor in garnish architecture. Keep it simple, keep it cold, and you’re already most of the way there.

Drink it before dinner with salty snacks, grilled prawns, pakoras or anything with lime, coriander or green chilli in the mix. That fresh citrus-and-herb profile loves food with crunch and brightness. It’s also a smart pick for anyone building a home bar around gins that actually taste different from each other. One classic London Dry, one floral oddball, one Indian gin like this. Now we’re getting somewhere.

What makes it worth your attention is the setting behind it. Cherrapunji isn’t just a pretty name on a label. It’s a real place in Meghalaya with a reputation for dramatic rainfall, living-root bridges and landscapes that look like they were designed by someone who takes monsoon season very seriously. That gives this gin a story you can actually remember, which is more than most “botanical blends” manage.

So yes, use it in a G&T. But don’t stop there. Try it side by side with your usual gin and you’ll notice how much place can change the feel of a familiar drink. Same category. Different weather system.

Fun Fact: Cherrapunji is often listed among the wettest inhabited places on earth, so naming an Indian gin after it is a pretty bold way to say, “freshness matters.”