How to Best Enjoy Amrut’s Nilgiris Gin
Nilgiris is Amrut’s first ever gin which marks their entrance into the craft gin businesses. This Indian Dry Gin is packed with the incredible flavors of India and contains both local botanicals from Nilgiris (the Blue Mountains of South India) and juniper berries. Because the flavors are so distinct, we put together this guide on how to best enjoy Amrut Nilgiris gin for yourself!
Nilgiris + tonic = a match made in heaven
Tonic has been one of the most popular mixers with gin for almost 200 years. According to Wine Enthusiast, the reason it continues to work today is because the blend mirrors one of the foundational flavor balances in cocktail mixing: spirits, sugar, and bitters. The classic combination of botanically flavored gin and tangy tonic create a cocktail that is still beloved to this day and India’s flavors truly shine with Nilgiris in this timeless drink.
Classic cocktails that love botanical flavors
Nilgiris Indian Dry Gin may be new to the market, however its story began years ago with a vision from the team at Amrut. The former chairman, Neelakanta Rao Jagdale, was on holiday in 2015 when the idea sparked. He was intrigued by the botanicals growing on the highest mountain in the Nilgiris region and knew these flavors would make an amazing gin that truly represents India.
Thrivikram Nikam, the Joint Managing Director for Amrut Distilleries, described the vision well when he said “Gin demands patience and time. We had to select from an array of spices and herbs from South India and use it in the right proportions for us to get a rich and enjoyable feel of botanicals.”
Since the botanical flavors from South India are effervescent and distinctive, Nilgiris Gin is ideal in the most classic gin cocktails. Some great cocktails to try with this gin are the martini, gimlet, negroni, and gin fizz. If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out our blog which features classic gin cocktail recipes.
Herbal forward flavors
Nilgiris Indian Dry Gin is best described as a handcrafted spirit featuring the freshest botanicals from the pristine Nilgiris (Blue) mountains in the western ghats of India at 7,000 feet above sea level. The maceration and distillation for this gin is skillfully performed in copper pot stills with juniper berries, and botanicals that include coriander, lemongrass, angelica, orris root, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and tea.
On the nose this gin has loads of citrusy juniper with a spicy background. When tasting the gin, you’ll notice a smooth, almost buttery juniper flavor in addition to a raw mango and edgy citrus fusion and peppery bite with a tease of paan and tea. With complex, delicious flavors, Nilgiris is known as a refreshing herbal forward spirit which gin enthusiasts are sure to love.
Nilgiris in the United States
Amrut’s Nilgiris Gin is now available in the United States through Glass Revolution Imports wherever Amrut is sold. Click here to find a liquor store near you that carries Amrut and make sure to sign up for our newsletter and become a Glass Revolution Dram Hunter so you’re always the first to know about exciting new releases.