how gin is made — botanicals, distillation, and india's gin boom explained (2026)

tldr: gin is neutral spirit re-distilled with botanicals, and juniper berries are the one non-negotiable ingredient. without juniper, it’s not gin. indian craft gins are winning global awards because india has access to world-class botanicals like cardamom, fennel, and coriander that european distillers have to import. greater than, stranger and sons, hapusa, and jaisalmer are leading the indian gin boom. the entire production happens in a copper still where botanicals infuse into the spirit during distillation.

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if you’ve ever wondered why gin tastes like a forest and a spice market had a baby, the answer is botanicals. gin is one of the few spirits where the production process specifically involves adding natural ingredients for flavor, and what those ingredients are determines everything about the final product.

gin is having a moment in india. five years ago, your only options were bombay sapphire or beefeater from the import section. now there are over a dozen indian craft gins on shelves, several of them winning international awards, and the category is growing faster than any other spirit in the country.

understanding how gin is actually made explains why this boom happened, and why india might be the best place in the world to make great gin.

this guide is part of liquor india, where i cover every major alcohol category in india. no sponsors, no affiliate links.

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what makes gin “gin”

here’s the simplest definition: gin is neutral spirit flavored with juniper berries. that’s it. if it doesn’t have juniper, it’s not gin. it could be flavored vodka, it could be a botanical spirit, but it’s not gin.

juniper berries are small, blue-green berries with a piney, slightly resinous flavor. they smell like a forest after rain. every gin in the world, from a rs 500 bottle to a rs 5000 one, must have juniper as its primary botanical.

beyond juniper, distillers can add whatever botanicals they want. and this is where gin gets creative. coriander seeds, citrus peels, cardamom, fennel, pepper, angelica root, orris root, peppermint, lavender, rose petals, cucumber. the recipe is entirely up to the distiller.

the botanical recipe is usually kept secret. it’s what makes each gin unique. bombay sapphire uses 10 botanicals. tanqueray uses 4. some indian gins use 15 or more.

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how gin is made, step by step

step 1 — start with neutral spirit

gin production begins with a base spirit that’s essentially vodka. a neutral grain spirit, usually made from wheat or corn, distilled to around 50-60% ABV. this spirit has minimal flavor on its own. it’s a blank canvas.

some distilleries make their own base spirit. others buy it from neutral spirit producers. either way, the quality of this base matters. impurities in the base spirit will carry through to the final gin.

step 2 — add botanicals to the copper still

here’s where gin diverges from every other spirit. the base spirit goes into a copper still along with the botanical recipe. juniper berries, coriander, citrus peels, spices, herbs, whatever the distiller’s recipe calls for.

copper stills are used for a specific reason. copper reacts with sulfur compounds in the spirit, removing harsh, unpleasant flavors. it also distributes heat evenly, giving the distiller precise control over the process. nearly every quality gin distillery in the world uses copper.

the botanicals sit in the spirit, infusing their oils and flavors. some distillers macerate the botanicals (soak them in the spirit overnight before distilling). others use vapor infusion, where the botanicals sit in a basket above the spirit and the rising vapor passes through them, picking up flavors without direct contact.

step 3 — distill and collect the heart

when the still is heated, the spirit evaporates and carries the botanical flavors with it. as it rises through the still and recondenses, you get flavored spirit dripping out the other end.

but not all of it is usable. the distillation output comes in three parts:

heads: the first liquid to come out. contains lighter oils that haven’t infused properly. often has off-flavors. discarded.

hearts (body): the middle section. this is the gin. balanced botanical infusion, clean spirit, proper flavor profile. this is what gets bottled.

tails: the last liquid to come out. over-infused, heavy oils, harsh flavors. discarded.

the distiller’s skill is knowing exactly when to start and stop collecting the heart. cut too early and you miss complexity. cut too late and you get harsh, over-extracted flavors. this is why master distillers matter.

step 4 — dilute and bottle

the heart comes off the still at high ABV, typically well above 60%. it’s diluted with water to bottling strength, usually 40-43% ABV. some premium gins bottle at higher strengths (navy strength gin is 57% ABV).

the entire process, from loading the still to bottled gin, can happen in a single day. this is why gin is fundamentally different from whisky or rum, which require months or years of barrel aging. gin’s character comes from distillation, not time.

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why botanicals matter

the botanical recipe is the soul of any gin. here’s what common botanicals actually contribute:

botanical	flavor contribution	found in
juniper berries	piney, resinous, herbal	every gin (mandatory)
coriander seeds	citrus, earthy, slightly spicy	most gins worldwide
citrus peels (lemon, orange)	bright, zesty, fresh	most gins
cardamom	warm, aromatic, slightly sweet	many indian gins
fennel seeds	anise-like, sweet, herbal	doja, some indian gins
peppermint	cooling, sharp, fresh	select craft gins
angelica root	earthy, musky, binding agent	traditional london dry gins
orris root	floral, slightly powdery	classic european gins
cubeb pepper	spicy, slightly bitter	tanqueray no. ten
sancho pepper	citrus with spicy heat	japanese-inspired gins

different botanical combinations create completely different gin profiles. a gin heavy on citrus and coriander will taste nothing like one loaded with cardamom and fennel. this is why you can have 10 gins on a shelf and each one tastes unique, even though they all start with the same base spirit and the same mandatory ingredient.

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the indian gin boom

india’s craft gin revolution started around 2017-2018 and it hasn’t slowed down. here’s why india is uniquely positioned to make great gin:

botanicals grow here. cardamom, coriander, fennel, black pepper, various citrus fruits, spices that european distillers pay premium import prices for. these grow naturally across india. indian gin makers have access to fresh, local botanicals at a fraction of the cost.

the palate matches. indian food culture revolves around spices and complex flavors. the same palate that appreciates a well-spiced biryani can appreciate a botanically complex gin. this isn’t a hard sell culturally.

gin and tonic is easy. unlike whisky, which requires some learning curve, gin and tonic is approachable. add good gin, good tonic, ice, and a garnish. anyone can make it at home. the simplicity of the serve helped the category grow.

indian gins worth knowing

greater than was one of the first indian craft gins. made in goa, widely available across india, and priced affordably for a craft spirit. it’s the gateway drug of indian gin. botanical profile includes juniper, coriander, fennel, chamomile, and ginger.

stranger and sons from goa has won multiple international awards at competitions where it was judged blind against the world’s best gins. uses three types of citrus, nutmeg, mace, black pepper, and coriander among its botanicals.

hapusa uses himalayan juniper, making it one of the few gins using juniper sourced from india rather than importing it from europe. turmeric is another botanical in the mix. based on reviews, it has a distinctly earthy, indian character.

jaisalmer from rajasthan uses a combination of indian botanicals and is one of the more widely distributed indian craft gins. available in most major cities.

doja is a newer gin made in goa with an indo-japanese botanical profile. japanese cedar (sugi), yuzu, hinoki wood alongside indian cardamom and fennel. based on reviews from people who’ve tried it, the flavor profile is unlike any other indian gin.

there are more: jin jiji, tickle, terai, rahasya. the market keeps growing. check the best gin brands in india guide for detailed comparisons, and the best gin under 1000 guide if you’re looking for affordable options.

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gin styles explained

not all gin follows the same rules. here are the main styles:

style	rules	sweetness	examples
london dry	no added flavors/sweeteners after distillation	dry	tanqueray, beefeater, greater than
plymouth	must be made in plymouth, england	slightly less dry	plymouth gin
old tom	lightly sweetened	semi-sweet	hayman’s old tom
contemporary/new western	flexible rules, can add flavors post-distillation	varies	hendrick’s, monkey 47
navy strength	bottled at 57% ABV minimum	dry	various

most indian craft gins follow the london dry style, meaning all the flavor comes from the distillation process itself, with nothing added afterward. this is considered the most “honest” style of gin because what you taste is purely the result of botanical selection and distillation skill.

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how to taste gin properly

if you want to actually appreciate what a gin distiller has created, here’s a method that works:

first, try it neat. pour a small amount in a glass. smell it. take a tiny sip. you’ll get the full botanical profile, the juniper backbone, the spice notes, everything. it’ll be strong, but you’re tasting, not chugging.

then add a single ice cube. as the ice melts, it dilutes the gin slightly. this “opens up” certain flavors. some botanicals become more pronounced with a little water. others recede. the gin literally changes as the ice melts.

then add tonic. now you’re drinking a gin and tonic. notice which botanicals carry through the tonic water and which get masked. a good gin will maintain its character even when mixed.

this progression, neat to ice to tonic, teaches you more about gin in one sitting than reading a hundred reviews.

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home bar setup essentials for gin

if you want to explore gin at home, you need:

• one indian craft gin (greater than or jaisalmer for starters)
• quality tonic water (fever tree, schweppes premium, sepoy and co)
• fresh limes and oranges for garnish
• ice (clear ice if possible)
• a highball glass

that’s it. gin and tonic is one of the simplest great drinks in the world. once you’re comfortable, try a gimlet (gin, lime juice, simple syrup) or a gin fizz (gin, lemon, sugar, soda water).

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why indian gins are winning international awards

this isn’t marketing hype. stranger and sons, greater than, hapusa, and jaisalmer have all received recognition at international spirits competitions, judged blind by panels that didn’t know the gin’s country of origin.

the reason is straightforward: indian distillers have access to botanicals that european distillers don’t, or have to import at high cost. fresh indian cardamom, locally grown coriander, indigenous citrus varieties, regional herbs. when a skilled distiller combines these with quality juniper in a copper still, the result is a gin with flavors that simply can’t be replicated in scotland or london.

india’s advantage in gin is the same advantage that scotland has in whisky: the raw materials are local, abundant, and high quality. the difference is that india’s gin revolution started barely 7-8 years ago. give it another decade and indian gin will be a globally recognized category on par with indian single malt whisky.

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FAQ

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drink responsibly. must be of legal drinking age in your state.