There’s something magical about the Northeast of India – a quiet pride that echoes through its hills, monsoons, and people, a kind of rugged poetry in its petrichor. And when you mention the Northeast and the rains, your mind instantly flutters to the green, rain-kissed landscapes of Cherrapunji. Now imagine bottling this essence – the rains of Cherrapunji – into a spirit. That’s exactly what Cherrapunji Gin does. It’s not just an award-winning spirit, it’s an experience. It’s not just an expression, it’s a love letter to the Northeast. Each sip of this unique spirit transports you to mist-laden hills, echoing with birdsong, drenched in rain and rich in stories.
To learn more about the gin, unstumbled got the opportunity to speak with Mayukh Hazarika, Founder and CEO of Cherrapunji Gin. We understood how the gin is made, bottled, packaged, and sent across the globe to tell its humble stories from the Northeast.
In Conversation With Mayukh Hazarika: Cherrapunji Gin And Its Journey From Rainwater To Award-Winning Gin
From Rainfall Records To Rainwater Harvesting
Known famously as one of the wettest places on Earth, Cherrapunji evokes images of unrelenting rain. However, here’s the twist – despite being known for its torrential rainfall, the town faces an acute water shortage during the winter. This shortage of rain is what led Mayukh to delve deeper into the problem.
Mayukh, during the COVID-19 pandemic, would often stroll down the streets of Shillong and think about ways to address this issue and do something with this rainwater. This irony of acute water shortage in one of the world’s wettest places planted the first seed of thought in the mind of Mayukh Hazarika:
What if this abundant, pristine rainwater could be captured, cherished, and transformed into something meaningful?
The journey of the gin from being a thought to becoming a reality wasn’t an easy one, and clearly, this gin wasn’t born in a day. However, slowly and steadily, Cherrapunji Gin took shape – distilled with harvested rainwater, triple-filtered and teeming with the terroir of Meghalaya. It’s not just symbolic; it’s functional and sustainable at the same time. The Raincheck Distillery, located 40 km away from Cherrapunji, collects this rain in harvesting tanks and uses it as the base water for the gin.
Cherrapunji Gin: Local Flavor, Global Approach
This gin isn’t your typical London Dry Gin; it’s a deliberate detour. Mayukh laughingly quotes,
“Let London make their London Dry Gin, why should we do it?”
This gin, true to its Indian essence, doesn’t attempt to replicate Western styles; instead, it is firmly rooted in its geography and culture. The team behind it studied global craft gins, from the precision of Japanese gins to the bold experimentation of Australian brands, not to mimic them, but to learn and draw inspiration. They have chosen to use rainwater rather than conventional groundwater, both to harness this resource and to impart a unique flavor to the gin.
The ingredients are as local as they come. Cherrapunji Gin uses robust Himalayan juniper, which is thicker than the European variety typically used. It also includes the zesty flavor of Kaji Nemu (GI-tagged Assamese lemon) and Khasi Mandarin. Both these citruses add a much-needed zingy punch to the gin. The list doesn’t end there; the smoked tea from Lushai Hills, smoked black cardamom, and Sohmarit Pepper add their unique layers of rich, spicy, and smoky flavor to the sipping gin.
These are not merely ingredients; they play a vital role in the story of this gin. Every element was chosen after extensive trials, tastings, and discussions over several months. To enhance sustainability, the team donates remaining citrus pulp to local farmers at no charge – sustainability was a core principle from the very beginning, not an afterthought.
A Bottle You’d Actually Like To Keep With You!
The gin is fantastic, no doubt about that, but the bottle? It’s a work of art in itself! The Cherrapunji Gin bottle is something you’ll want to keep long after finishing that last sip.
First, it’s made of military-grade stainless steel – a strange, yet conscious detour from the usual use of glass. The latter is significantly heavier, fragile, less recyclable, and generates a higher carbon footprint.
The military-grade stainless steel build is so durable that, frankly, our mothers would reuse it as a water bottle or storage container! And it is this thought that made us share a hearty laugh with Mayukh, who couldn’t agree more. It’s both practical and sustainable – a rare achievement in luxury spirit packaging.
Visually, the bottle embraces the vibrancy of India. “We’re Indians, we’re colorful people, we do not have the monotonous greys and browns in our palette”, Mayukh was quick to point out how the bottle is an ode to Indian maximalism.
The artwork pays tribute to the land and its people – be it the Northeast woman on the bottle or the elusive red pandas, the Nartiang Monoliths, or the iconic Bedford Bus. There’s no faux attempt at coming off as chic, international, and plush – just the raw, vibrant beauty of the Northeast on display.
Even the name Cherrapunji isn’t anglicized or glossed over. It’s worn proudly. Because for once, here’s a premium Indian spirit that isn’t trying to pretend it’s from somewhere else. It takes pride in being from the Northeast soil and a lovechild of its rain.
The Pour, The Pair, And The Play
Cherrapunji Gin isn’t shy; it’s packed with more botanicals per ml than most other gins out there. Meaning, more rounded, complex, and layered flavors in each sip.
So, how do you drink it?
“With soda, of course”, Mayukh promptly replies as he recalls his favorite way of having this gin. While the founder enjoys it with soda, this gin is versatile. A classic Gin & Tonic works beautifully with an Indian tonic and a slice of citrus. But there’s always room to experiment: see what floats your boat and enjoy it in your way.
Pair it with something as local as jadoh (Meghalayan rice and meat dish), or as modern as sushi. The choice is yours!
Mayukh’s Meghalaya Recommendations
What sets Cherrapunji Gin apart isn’t just its ingredients; it’s the way it champions its home and wears its identity like a badge of honor. It’s an invitation, a boarding pass of sorts to explore the Northeast.
With a gin carrying the identity of the Northeast in a bottle, we couldn’t help but ask him what recommendations he has for us in this beautiful region, particularly Meghalaya.
He says that while the monsoon season is beautiful, plan a trip in the drier, winter season that will allow you to explore this place more conveniently.
If you find yourself up there, plan your visit in the dry season – winters in Meghalaya are stunning, crisp, and quieter. Stop by the Garo Hills for their forests and folk traditions. Explore the local cafes, enjoy local music, and gorge on local street food, especially in Shillong. The city and the neighboring regions are like heaven for those seeking outdoor fun and willing to explore the underexplored beauty of the Northeast.
He also recommended checking out the jadoh stalls to get a taste of the local food. Among the more premium recommendations, Mayukh recommended paying a visit to Shad Skye, a bar ranked number 48 on the 30 Best Bars India List! And to be honest, we’ve already bookmarked it on our list!
Cherrapunji Gin: Rooted And Ready To Take Over The World
As a country, Mayukh elaborates, “we’ve grown in confidence”. No more is India trying to mimic or pretend. And Cherrapunji Gin is a glowing example of that evolution. It carries its pride on the bottle and tells the story of a lesser-explored region without appropriation. It doesn’t chase trends – it is busy carving its niche.
And this deep-rooted approach has only worked in its favor on the global stage. Cherrapunji Gin is the recipient of many coveted awards, including Gold at both the Global Gin Masters 2024 and Global Travel Retail Masters 2024. It has also clinched Silver at the London Spirits Competition 2024 and a Bronze at the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2024. The brand also recently became the first alcohol label from the Northeast to be exported – a momentous feat unlike any other!
In our insightful conversation with Mayukh Hazarika, Founder and CEO of Cherrapunji Gin, we learnt a lot – but our key takeaway is that Cherrapunji Gin is here to take its local flavors to a global stage.
What is home to Hazarika is now the proud identity of the gin. Whether you’re a gin lover or someone just beginning to explore craft spirits, this is a bottle worth picking up, not JUST for the drink, but for the stories it tells. So, next time you pour yourself a drink, make it the award-winning Cherrapunji Gin and taste the rain, the hills, and the heart of the Northeast.
