Doja Gin: Union of Japanese And Indian Flavors

East India Distillery has recently launched the first Indo-Japanese Gin: Doja Gin. The idea behind the gin creation started during the pandemic times. The idea was to create a gin that infuses both Indian and Japanese flavors in a single bottle. This represents an interesting partnership between Japan and India, two countries with diverse backgrounds and languages, but similar longing for their history and culture.

Doja gin is hand-crafted to details with its varied flavor profile notes in a single bottle. The recipe blend is created and perfected by a master distiller at Nakano BC in Wakayama, Japan. The bottle is manufactured in Goa, India. Jai Anand and Sanjiv Anand, founders of East India Distilling worked together with Nakano BC master distiller to create the Indo-Japanese gin.

Doja gin is made with a combination of different botanicals of Japan like- Juniper Berry, Yuzu Peel, Cedar Leaf, Sansho Pepper, and Hinoki Chips, mixed with popular Indian botanicals like- Peppermint, Coriander, Fennel, and Cardamom. These different botanicals together give the gin a perfect balance of piney, citrusy, aromatic, sweet, and spicy notes. 

The method of distillation used is called “single shot”, which is the rarest method of distillation practiced now. In the process, the neutral spirit is infused with the 9 botanicals and allowed to macerate for more than 15 hours. Once, the spirit has absorbed the delicate oily notes, the mixture is passed through the steam process in copper column stills. After condensation, the spirit is blended with demineralized water to a bottling strength of 47% ABV. This process ensures that the gin does not lose any of the essential oils from the botanicals and has a rich flavor profile. 

The 700 ml bottling of premium hand-crafted small-batch Doja Gin is priced at INR 2050. The gin is being produced and bottled in Japan and Goa.

“DOJA chose Goa as its manufacturing base as it is a lot easier for brands to produce alcohol here when it comes to taxes and licenses. And the pandemic has oddly made Goa quite popular with people moving from other cities to work out of Goa. What’s being bottled in Japan is going to be sold in Japan and sent to parts of the US and maybe Europe. The Indian bottle is for India and parts of Asia and maybe even southeast Asia.”

By Jai Anand

The brand is also planning to broaden the supply to the Indian as well as International market very soon. You can avail a bottle at the retail stores in Goa, India at the following locations- 

• Anjuna, Goa->Gopinth Wine, Just Wines & Liquour, Oxfen Arcade, Wine Cart, and Wine Kart
• Arpora, Goa-> Las Veigas Supermarket, Maharaja Wines, The Wine Cellar, and Wine House
• Assagao, Goa-> Govekar Wine
• Baga, Goa-> A to Z Supermarket, Laxmi Wine Store
• Bastora, Goa >-Montes Wine
• Benaulim, Goa-> Annas Supermarket – Liquour & Wine
• Calangute, Goa-> Ashish Wine, D N Enterprises, Goan Wine & Liquour, Maria Wines, Rasna Wines
• Canacona, Goa -> Premdatta Traders
• Candolim, Goa -> Stop & Shop
• Cansaulim, Goa ->Chicos Wines
• Caranzanlem, Goa ->Dreans Liquid Dream
• Chapora, Goa ->Savitri Wines
• Colva, Goa ->Goan Treasure, Hegde Stores, Liquour & Wine Mart
• Corlim, Goa ->Maharaja Wines
• Gogol, Goa ->The Booze Bodega
• Guirim, Goa ->Charlie De Pazi
• Mapusa, Goa ->Lanjekar Wines
• Margao, Goa ->Vaz Enterprises
• Mobor, Goa ->Bryson’s Wine Store, D’mello Super Centre, K4 Super Market
• Morjim, Goa ->Canopy Wines & Supermarket, Gall – The Liquour World, Laljee Dewraj & Co,  Raviraj Wines
• Nachinola, Goa ->Good Luck Wine Store, Anupama Wine Store, LOC Wines
• Panjim, Goa ->Tom’s Wines, 2 Kas, Anant Food, Casa Baretto Wine Stores, House of Wines, Panjim Wines, Parekh Stores 
• Ponda, Goa -> Gaurish Liquor Agencies
• Porvorim, Goa -> Cash Bill, Sunshine Enterprises, Unico Ventures LLP
• Siolim, Goa ->Amancio Wines, Selmel Wine Stores, Shivshakti Wines & Supermarket  
• Uttorda, Goa -> Royal Spirits
• Vagator, Goa ->Top Notch Wines, Robert Palace, Monteiro Traders
• Varca, Goa -> Brooke Wine Store, Magsons Super Centre
• Vasco, Goa ->Rodrigues Wines & General Merchants
• Verem, Goa ->Kamat Wines

The brand is planning a big launch in a couple of days in Goa before taking it to Mumbai in January 2022, and they’re planning to do some other interesting activities that might include music and the gin.  After Mumbai, DOJA is looking at making its way into Bengaluru and Pune as well.

Doja gin is being slotted as a sipping drink. And the team of East India Distillery is working to create signature cocktail recipes to go along with the gin. “We are in fact creating a signature recipe for a cocktail. But I would say it’s best sipped on its own, for one to relish the mouthfeel,” says Anand.

The official website.

Instagram handle.

Take a sip of this new artisanal gin to get lost in the two flavors of India and Japan. Rich and premium craft gin to enjoy the exotic season. Let’s welcome DOJA gin in India.