Cherrapunji Gin: India's Rainiest Region in a Bottle

Mawsynram, in northeast India, gets 11,872 millimeters of rain a year. More than anywhere else on the planet. That’s where Cherrapunji Gin is made, a Dutch-Indian collaboration that turns rainfall and local botanicals into a spirit with a distinct sense of place.

The water comes out of the sky

Cherrapunji sits in Meghalaya. The subtropical highland climate produces botanicals you won’t find elsewhere. The distillery captures rainwater in a 50,000-liter stainless steel tank and uses it as the gin’s base. No tap water, no detour through the municipal supply. The rain that defines the region goes straight into the glass.

Twelve botanicals, all from the region

Cherrapunji uses twelve native botanicals from northeast India. GI-tagged Khasi mandarin (Geographical Indication, the same protected designation system Champagne uses). Kaji nemu, an aromatic lime from Assam, for the citrus edge. Smoked tea from the Lushai hills for a darker undertone.

On top of that, black and green cardamom plus wild peppercorns from Sikkim and Meghalaya. The result tastes unmistakably Indian without turning into a gimmick.

The bottle, and what’s in it

Cherrapunji cuts energy use by 70 percent and uses military-grade stainless steel bottles (155 grams) instead of glass. Eco-conscious, and reusable as a water bottle afterward. The premium feel of glass is missing though. It’s also surprisingly hard to open, I struggled with it myself.

Tasting

42.8 percent alcohol. Nosing it neat gave me goosebumps, and I don’t say that often. The aroma walks away from standard juniper-forward gin: multiple kinds of citrus, mandarin, lime, dried herbs, berries, and spices that simply don’t appear in European gins because they don’t grow here.

On the palate it’s peppery, floral, herbal. Tight structure, a taut finish that shows the 42.8 percent without going harsh.

Over ice the melting water brings dilution, and with it a new layer: citrus, apple, cinnamon, pepper, coriander. The alcohol edge softens, the gin gets fresher without losing anything.

It works with tonic too, though that felt like a waste. My preference was neat or with a single ice cube in a wine glass. That gives the aromatics the room they deserve.

The verdict

Cherrapunji has won at the London Spirits Competition, World Gin Awards, and International Wine & Spirits Competition. Deserved. A gin that doesn’t disguise its origin but amplifies it. Taste it neat first. Decide on tonic afterward.

More information: https://cherrapunji.co/

Order it at: https://amsterdamliquorstore.com/collections/gin-1/products/cherrapunji-gin-0-7l