Hapusa Gin 70cl 43% ABV Indian Gin Uses Local Ingredients

Product Information

When it comes to Indian flavours, there are coriander, fennel seeds, chamomile, ginger and lemongrass. The first panel comprised Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business and chair of The Global Spirits Masters Competitions (GSMC), Will Keogh, founder and CEO of Woolf Drinks, and Clinton Cawood, freelance spirits writer. When we spoke to Virmani at the start of the year we couldn’t help but get the impression of innocence. And by that we don’t mean naivety – he is a man who knows how to build and grow a brand and he is working incredibly hard to push Hapusa Gin out there. It appeared at Junipalooza London, made a splash at Bar Convent Berlin and will continue to worm its way into the international scene. Rather, we mean that he hasn’t made a Gin to cash in on the trend. He’s done it for a love of Gin and of India. The International Spirits Challenge 2022 (Double Gold Medal), International Gin Producer of the Year

Master Distiller Jay Dhawan oversees the copper pot distillation process and, all in all, it’s a journey to India from starting sip to finishing drop! How does Hapusa Gin taste In 2015, the world was going through a “Gin-aissance” and yet, two bar owners in Delhi who waited expectantly for the tsunami of Gin brands were left high and dry. The country where Gin & Tonic was invented and where exotic gin botanicals are found in most home kitchens was still in the dark ages of Gin. If they wanted Gin, they were going to have to make it themselves. Hapusa is actually the Sanskrit word for Himalayan juniper berries. Starting with this elusive juniper berry from Northern India, the team went on to create Hapusa’s London Dry Gin with only seven other Indian botanicals. Following triple distillation in London, the Master winner is transferred to Jerez in Spain where it was aged for three months in former Tío Pepe fino Sherry casks.

Gin Gin

Master medallist Mermaid Gin was described as “soft and herbal” with “lovely citrus notes” by the judges, who added that it would make a “great Martini”. Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin comes from Radico Khaitan, one of the oldest whisky distillers in India.

A further group was formed of: Marie Cheong‐Thong of The Larder at 36; Masha Twemlow, associate at International Drinks Specialists; and Tobias Gorn, co‐founder and senior partner of International Drinks Specialists, who chaired the panel. He explains how their craft gin Hapusa stand out because it is made using foraged Himalayan juniper berries. Anand adds, “It is a contemporary gin that is uniquely Indian, with botanicals like raw mango, Gondhoraj and turmeric, which have so far never been used to create gins.” He adds, “Nao Spirits wanted to do away with the garam-masala-ish flavour in Indian gin and show new India flavours. We wanted to step away from the clichés.” Read on to discover 10 brands that took home Master medals in the first part of our 2023 Gin Masters competition. The result is an attractive product that draws on temple architecture, numismatics and handicrafts for its design and plays with Indian flavours in a less than obvious manner. Hapusa Gin is made to a one-shot method on Nao Spirits’ 1000-litre copper pot still, Agatha. All of the ingredients are added to the pot alongside a neutral wheat spirit and driven gently through the copper by distiller Jay Dhawan.

Review and Tasting

The Swedish distiller took home an impressive eight Master medals in the competition, including one for its navy strength bottling. At present, Gin Kiosk is the sole UK retailer, but it won’t be long before this little beauty is mainstream. Nao Spirits wanted to change that even in the short few years since their journey began, they have managed to cast away years of preconceptions. Internationally, they have been part of a core group of producers who have put Indian Gin on the map and domestically, they have set an example that is inspiring dozens of other dreamers, spirits enthusiasts and entrepreneurs to join the craft distilling movement. Sailing to the top of the Pink Gin flight was Master‐winning Mirabeau Dry Gin. One member of the panel said: “Delicate perfumed nose, lovely and floral with some peppery juniper and a lovely fruity spiced finish, just glorious.”

One judge particularly enjoyed Edinburgh Gin Elderflower Liqueur: “Good light elderflower nose, light freshness on the nose. The palate has a wonderful sweetness but also very fresh and vibrant citrus note that balances the alcohol perfectly. The elderflower is fresh and lovely and I can see this being enjoyed with Prosecco.” Available in Goa, Mumbai and New Delhi, Hapusa is the perfect gin to drink straight up with a garnish of mint. Greater Than Nao Spirits, a start-up by Anand Viramani, Aparajita Ninan and Abhinav Rajput, makes the gin at a state-of-the-art distillery in Goa. The trio were adamant about using Himalayan juniper when they learnt about its use in Ayurvedic medicines in India. However, it took a couple of wild goose chases before Anand finally laid his hands on the elusive ingredient. The duo, bought a copper pot still and began experimenting with every herb, fruit and spice they could get their hands on. It’s a sizeable still, mind, and while it was a case of trial and error, with a great deal of dead ends along the way. After a while and, as far as we have understood, after seeking help within the industry to bring in some insight and experience, they honed two recipes. One was a modern classic that recalled the entire history of Gin and paid great respect to the category, which they called Greater Than. Made using a multi-shot process and with a strong juniper forward note, complimented by an orange twang, we’ve consistently said that it is one of the best classic gins you will find. It is however, a story to tell on a different day, it is their other offering that is the star of this very review: Hapusa Gin. It also impressed judges when it came to a tasting of navy strength expressions with its “lovely balance of citrus and herbal, sugary hit up front and bittersweet finish”, securing the product another Master medal.Master-winning 58 and Co London Dry was lauded for its “nice floral note, herby, lemon, light spiciness, and very good complexity but easy to drink.” Yes, this point directly contradicts our words about needing humility and patience, we know. It also contradicts our statement that Virmani knows what he’s doing. We state it merely because of the reality of today’s interconnected world and that everything moves so rapidly now. Slow and steady is actually more like running flat out but somehow grasping enough air to continue…

The 20% ABV range of Edinburgh Gin liqueurs include Raspberry, Elderflower, Plum & Vanilla, and Rhubarb & Ginger. Gin Gin is India’s first hemp gin and it was founded by Shubham Khanna, who travelled to New York to study the gin-making process. It was strange that the country in which the Gin and Tonic was invented – one that prided itself on its botanicals and spices – would not have a single Gin to its name in a world where hundreds of Gins were being launched every year. Hapusa Gin is our answer to this anomaly.”

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Greater Than is available in Goa, Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru, and is great to have as a classic gin and tonic. Stranger & Sons Other judges on the day included Whisky Squad co‐host Elise Craft, who chaired a panel that included: Stephen Kennard, consultant at SMJK Consulting; and Allison Strydom, founder of GinSquares. International Spirits Challenge 2020, USA (Bronza) and San Francisco World Spirit Aards 2018, USA (Silver)