There’s a new homegrown gin in the neighbourhood, Soci Gin, crafted in the party capital of Goa. First launched in Mumbai, Soci is all set to hit the markets in Goa, Pune, Bengaluru and Hyderabad in 2023.
For the past few years, the Indian spirit market has been witnessing an eventful boom. And it all begins with the very idea of being open to experimenting. That’s the modern-day spirit consumers for you, backed by the existing and newly minted brands that don’t shy away from making an entry that surprises, sustains and don’t just dress to impress.
Popular for its versatility, coveted for its subtle richness and poured for being a powerhouse of artisanal flavours — gin has been the centre of conversations at every party, in every bar, for mixologists and even amongst the entrepreneurs behind some of the leading spirit businesses in India. One such addition to the repository of Indian homegrown gins is Soci Gin, which first launched in December 2022 in Mumbai.
A product from the house of Good Barrel Distilleries Pvt Ltd., what makes Soci Gin different and why it must be on your radar next — we find it all out for you.
But first, what does Soci mean?
As Lalit Kalani, Managing Director of Good Barrel Distilleries Pvt Ltd iterates, Soci Gin is christened after Soci, the name of a mystical serpent that resides in a garden tucked away deep in the jungles of India. And all the bounties and ingredients that weren’t discovered yet have been found here to birth the story of Soci Gin.
Soci Gin makes the palate curious. “The jungle seems to come to life, creatures awakening from their mid-day slumbers, birds chirping incessantly, all making a move towards the watering hole for a much-needed drink,” Kalani describes the new gin rather artistically.
A flavourful saga
With a riveting narrative underlining the entry of a brand new spirit, Lalit reveals, Soci Gin is currently only available in Mumbai. In January 2023, the gin will navigate its way to Goa and Pune and soon will find its way to Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
A sip of Soci Gin, which is a cold-pressed gin, evokes infused notes of juniper berries, cardamom and coriander, laced with oranges, pepper and cucumber. The botanicals are cold pressed in order to maintain the flavours at their most optimum levels. “With Soci, we want to offer younger drinkers a great quality liquid that is trendy, non-complicated and easy to drink,” sums up Kalani.
We sampled the gin on its launch day in Mumbai, and a palatable, light but robust hit of the botanicals did make an impression on the palate. Our take on Soci Gin? It is best indulged into as a crisp Gin and Tonic! Kalani also indicates his go-to way of savouring this Gin, “Soci is a refreshing and versatile gin. For me personally it is perfect for sipping neat or on the rocks with an added splash of water or soda.”
While the product itself is yet to reach the shelves of stores in the coastal state, Soci Gin is in fact crafted in Goa. With a barrage of homegrown Indian gins being made, Goa has been the choice of location for a majority of the distillers.
This trend that the spirit industry often terms as ‘ginaissance’ found its high action in the nexus of the party capital of the country, giving Goa a renewed identity, perhaps one that resonates the most with being the birthplace of local, homegrown Indian gins. Kalani avers, “Gin garnered immense popularity in the past few years and this has led to a rapid increase in demand for the beverage paving a path for a lot of home-grown brands to emerge.”
The key factors that make Goa an accessible hub for gin makers are low taxes and ease of entry in terms of government and excise laws. Kalani adds, “Further, the climate is very favourable and more importantly, the demand in the city is massive because of its tourism and having it locally produced reduces the cost of distribution, too.”
The brand is also gearing up to launch new variants and limited-edition batches of Soci Gin in 2023. Our advice? Stay tuned and keep experimenting!
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