Stranger & Sons Gin, Premium Indian Spirited Aromatic Citrussy Dry Gin – 42.8% ABV, 70cl

Product Information

Described as ‘bold and delicious’, the spirit has also won a Master medal at The Asian Spirits Masters 2021. “The palate is wonderful – smooth and silky mouthfeel with no sharp edges or volatile alcohol”, said one of the judges, Bryan Rodriguez, wine and spirits buyer for Harvey Nichols.

While the original ‘gin craze’ of the Victorian era was given a bad rap and the booze was labelled as ‘mother’s ruin’, since the 20th century gin has consistently been portrayed in pop culture as an effortlessly cool, sophisticated booze. With the growing number of gin enthusiasts, we are constantly looking to innovate and explore new extensions and product ideas.

The Story

The founders of Third Eye Distillery spent over two years perfecting the recipe for Stranger and Sons Gin. They experimented with different botanicals and distillation techniques to create a gin that would reflect the flavors and aromas of India. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Where is this wondrous exotic world of Stranger & Sons? Located in the Western Ghats, Goa offers access to a bounty of spices along the Konkan and Malabar coasts and holds 3000 years as a key player in India’s spice trade. A former Portuguese colony and centre of commerce, Goa adopted much of their way of life, including their liberal attitude towards alcohol consumption – thus remaining the seat of alcohol trade in India. Distillation has long been one of Goa’s most traditional occupations, and so it was natural for Stranger & Sons to establish the brand in the sunshine state. Just as master weavers of the traditional Indian sari use rich colours, silky textures, embellishments, and beautiful motifs, so too the skilful distillers at Stranger & Sons – masterfully create a magically almost ‘mythical’ gin through distilling alchemy of exotic spices, colourful citrus, and invigorating juniper.

Managing water waste at the distillery– Most distilleries use a constant flow of cold water, which is drained out. To reduce and preserve the amount they use for the 16-hour distillation run, they have invested in a tank that recycles the water. With their chiller and tank, they are able to save 10,000 litres of water per run and the drained water is directed to their botanical garden. Explaining the botanicals, all of which are sourced from India, one of the founders, Sakshi says, “We use a unique citrus peel mix: Gondhoraj lebu, the commonly found nimbu, Indian Bergamot and Nagpur oranges. With it go coriander seeds, angelica root, cassia bark, liquorice and warm spices such as pepper, mace and nutmeg.” Stating that multiple tasting panels were captivated by the aromas and tasting notes, she adds, “Our gin goes beyond the customary juniper and plays up Indian botanicals and spices.” What started as a meeting of minds, led to trading ingredients across the Indian Ocean through a global pandemic. The teams embraced virtual tastings and invented ‘Zoom’ distilling. The Third Eye trio shared botanicals rooted in India’s heritage with the Australians to distil Spice Trade, while the Four Pillars reciprocated with unique flavours from Down Under to create Trading Tides. “To put it simply, you can expect two unique gins that combine the best of Australia and India in a bottle, through the expertise of two diverse distillers,” says Saigal. Spice exchange Blending and Dilution: The infused distillate is then blended with pure water to achieve the desired alcohol content. The gin is then bottled and labeled.The manufacturing process used by Stranger and Sons is designed to create a gin that is aromatic, flavorful, and balanced. The use of locally sourced botanicals and spices ensures that the gin has a unique and distinctive character, while the small-batch production process allows for greater quality control and attention to detail.Here’s the section you asked for: Stranger and Sons Gin is a premium gin brand that is handcrafted in small batches in India. The brand offers a range of gin types that are made using unique botanical blends and distillation techniques. Below are some of the types of Stranger and Sons Gin:Absolutely, it is a good choice if you’re looking for something different and interested to try gins that involve different taste profiles into their distilling. I am quite excited to see what else they have coming up, because the methodology and their thought process behind the gin should mean that they have many more amazing drinks up their sleeves. Stating that multiple tasting panels were captivated by the aromas and tasting notes, she adds, “Our gin goes beyond the customary juniper and plays up Indian botanicals and spices.” – adding a distinctive twist to the gin category. In the spirits world, India has always been known for the sheer volume of alcohol we produce over anything else. The distilleries here are mostly large-scale, daunting structures and it’s difficult to contract distill small quantities here which is often a great way for craft distillers to begin their journey. Having said that, we believe that the journey for Indian gins is just beginning. As the world realizes that there is more to India than just the stereotypical Palaces, Himalayas, Mathematics and a dozen other clichés, they’ll see that there’s a lot more that we can bring to the table.

Maceration: The botanicals and spices are first macerated in a neutral spirit for around 24 hours. This process allows the flavors and aromas of the botanicals to infuse into the spirit. I primarily drank this as a simple gin & tonic with some lime as a garnish. I did the initial taste without any lime and a neutral tonic, but gradually turned to a lime garnish after I experienced it enough. Developed by the new distillery, the Third Eye Distillery range hit a homerun with their first major release – Stranger and Sons. International consumer interest in quality juniper-based spirits is unflagging. Of course, Dhall & Nash’s gin superstar, Stranger & Sons has been impressing international juries since its inception. More internationally, do you think that Indian Gin is now on the map (for the record, we do) and what do you think the main challenges are to build even more awareness around it?

Tasting Notes

Today, Stranger and Sons Gin has become one of the most popular gins in India and is gaining recognition around the world. The gin has won several awards, including a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2020.

For this exact reason, Dhall & Nash did not want to hitch our gin wagon to any old distillery. What we came to realise in our spirits research, was that the ‘new’ Gin boom has seen consumers moving away from established brands on store shelves and towards small batch gin distilleries and artisan craft gin makers. This has been partly driven by the “craft” movement, which saw the rise of coffee roasteries, craft beer breweries, natural wines, and farmers’ markets. The focus now being on artisanal products, with people valuing authentically, locally produced products, where they can see and get to know the individuals making these products and partly driven by the realisation that gin can be so unique. Yes, us gin lovers already knew that the joy of gin is that no two gins are alike! Their reason to also start with gin was because while Saigal was studying for an MBA in Barcelona, she had seen the market explode, and Gupta’s stay in the UK had him obsessing about the spirit. They enjoyed drinking it, but also thought that it was a lesser-explored market in India. Along with the spices that are sourced locally, they were also particular about using Indian botanicals. They use Indian bergamot, Indian lime or nimbu, Nagpur oranges and gondhoraj (a fragrant lemon variety from Bengal) in the citrus peel mix. It’s been a phenomenal experience right from the start to be honest. The terrific response we got from our consumers helped us build an exciting, entrepreneurial team, all of whom feel very strongly about the brand. The lion’s share of any distillery’s route to market will remain bars and shops, but in the UK the Covid pandemic has fundamentally changed the connection brands have with their fans. It also accelerated expectations and trends around buying direct and being able to engage with owners digitally and that's set to continue. So last but not least… How are you finding this shift and how are you adapting to it? Stranger & Sons is an Indian spirited gin that captures the essence of India in every bottle for a curious and discerning consumer; we celebrate the transmission of centuries-old traditions while recognizing the contemporary India we live in today. India is indeed land with a suffusion of diverse festivals, politics, religions, colors and cuisine with traits, practices and characteristics each more unique and peculiar than the other. The many quirks and eccentricities of all generations play a part in our daily lives. This was the inspiration that led to “Stranger”, as we believe that India is wonderfully strange! The “& Sons”, perfectly encapsulates and pays homage to the multiple businesses in India that are passed down from generation to generation. Launched by three family members, Stranger & Sons is a tribute to these businesses and the entrepreneurial spirit inherent in most Indians.

The wonderfully strange gin capturing the essence of India

Rahul Mehra, Sakshi Saigal and Vidur Gupta What do you think has contributed to gin’s resurgence in recent years in India? Stranger and Sons Gin is a premium gin that is distilled in India. The gin is made using a blend of botanicals that are sourced from across the country. The gin is known for its unique flavor profile and is a popular choice among gin enthusiasts. The US has varying laws and distribution requirements state by state, Scandinavia has the Monopoly system - For those not so familiar with the country, what are the particular challenges that India faces that make it hard for craft distilling to flourish? Furthermore, India follows a federal system of laws when it comes to alcohol, the guidelines and regulations vary across states in India and each local market brings a new, diverse consumer base which makes the experience, well, lets just say thrilling!