Vapor Infusion: The remaining distillate is then infused with additional botanicals and spices using a vapor infusion method. The botanicals are placed in a basket above the still, and the vapors from the distillate pass through the basket, extracting the flavors and aromas of the botanicals. In 2020, Stranger & Sons became the first Indian gin to be awarded a gold medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition—one of the only eight gins in the world to receive this accolade out of 800 brands that entered the competition. It has also won several other medals at various spirit competitions worldwide. If you look at the math and volumes behind the brands that fall in the above category, we could be considered by many to be doing something stupid and risky, but having said that we are very excited by the response we have received so far and have been able to get some early adopters. We are constantly trying to grow our customer base by ensuring that we keep them entertained through our events, social media channels and of course our Gin! Where and how far you want to go with your Gin brand?

Stranger & Sons was the first Indian gin to win a Gold-Outstanding medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) in 2020 in London. It happened to be one of the only 8 gins in the world to receive this award out of 800 brands that participated that year. This was followed by multiple gold medals at The Drinks Business Asia Summer Tasting in Hong Kong (2021), followed by a handful of silver medals at the London Spirits Competition 2021 and San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2021. Immediately on first taste, I felt this was a pretty standard spiced gin that follows the usual direction of Paper Lantern gin or other spiced gins. But, as I mentioned above, I consider this gin to have multiple layers.Developed by the new distillery, the Third Eye Distillery range hit a homerun with their first major release – Stranger and Sons.

Ultimately though, the Stranger & Sons trio wanted to represent the new face of India, with all its quirks that people may not know about. Not just the old-fashioned colonial view of India. This is a cool, modern, and forward-looking India. Global sales of premium gin bottles are growing at around 20% annually, says IWSR Drinks Market Analysis firm, two-and-a-half times the rate of overall spirit sales.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 and Sons gin is a premium Indian gin that has gained popularity in recent years. It is a product of Stranger and Sons, a distillery based in Goa, India. The company was founded by three friends who were passionate about crafting unique spirits that reflected the flavors and culture of India.

With you and a few others at the helm of such dynamic brands, there’s a lead group that’s trailblazing away for a new generation. Do you feel that there is a sense of a craft Distilling ‘scene’ starting in India or is it too early to tell?

We at Dhall & Nash are equally as proud to be the New Zealand distributors of a prestigious new gin brand creating waves on the global spirits scene. 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? Being absolutely aware that it has been an extremely tough phase for the hospitality industry and brands including ours, thanks to our teams’ sheer creativity and persistence, we never lost sight of our consumers, favourite bars and bartenders. 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.

Overall, Stranger and Sons Gin is a testament to the rich history and culture of India. It is a gin that is made with care and attention to detail, and it is a true representation of the flavors and aromas of India. Manufacturing Process 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: Stranger and Sons gin is made using a traditional distillation process that involves a combination of maceration and vapor infusion. The gin is made in small batches using locally sourced botanicals and spices. The manufacturing process involves the following steps: 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.”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.