Darjeeling tea gives this JIN JIJI bottling its centre of gravity. Each batch uses single-estate FTGFOP1 leaves, beginning with tea from the Jungpana garden, and is copper-pot distilled in Uttarakhand at 42.8% ABV.

Himalayan and Macedonian junipers are joined by coriander, angelica, orris, cashew and Indian lemon peel. Ginger, clove and cardamom deliberately recall masala tea, connecting the dry-gin framework to another Indian infusion tradition.

Tea and juniper share the aroma rather than competing for it. Lemon brings a bright first impression; cashew rounds the texture, and the three warm spices develop gradually before an earthy tea note settles into the finish.

The tea grade matters here. FTGFOP1 identifies leaves rich in young tips, chosen for fragrance and definition rather than blunt tannin. Using one estate for each batch allows the distillery to preserve that identity instead of reducing Darjeeling to a generic flavour. The first release drew on Jungpana, a mountain garden with a long reputation for black tea. Against this precise leaf character, the two junipers provide resin and structure, while orris and angelica hold the aromas together. The wheat spirit remains deliberately discreet. Tasted with a small splash of water, the distinction between brisk tea, creamy cashew and warming masala spices becomes especially clear.

The bottle is most revealing when it is allowed a few minutes in the glass. Tea moves from fragrance towards a drier, faintly tannic presence, while cardamom and ginger become clearer at the edges. It is a thoughtful meeting of gin distillation and Indian tea culture.