Heady Wonder 

Gin has experienced a resurgence over the past few years and has made a statement of cool in India among the roisterers. Made from 96 percent ABV (alcohol by volume) neutral grain spirit - like vodka - gin’s magic can be attributed to juniper, specifically the fully grown but unripe cones. You could go on and experiment with any botanical for added layers of flavour; but to be classified as gin, the spirit must be infused with juniper.

Gin is called a ‘dry' drink, and that's technically because it does not contain any artificial flavours. But if you've ever tasted juniper in isolation, you'd have felt your tongue drying out. In India, the excitement around alcoholic beverages has seen stages. There was (still is?) a time when beer simply exploded in popularity, and now it's gin that is taking the centrestage with several folks out there trying to create special flavours of gin. So this World Gin Day comes in as a perfect primer to pour some and settle down with earthy music in the background. And here are some gin based recipes to truly make it a happy weekend:

Princess Mary by Joel Scholtens Lindsay, Liquid Chef and Mixologist at Taj Palace

Ingredients
60 ml Dry Gin
3 no.s Fresh basil
5 ml Sugar syrup 
1 Egg White
A pinch of matcha powder
A few drops of lavender extract
Juice of a quarter lemon

Mixology
In a cocktail shaker, add ice and all the ingredients, shake well. Strain and serve chilled in a goblet garnished with a sprinkle of matcha powder, and a basil leaf

Flora Dora by Stranger & Sons

Ingredients
60ml Trading Tides Gin 
5 Fresh Raspberries 
10ml Fresh Lime Juice 
120ml Dry Ginger Ale 

Mixology
Place 3 raspberries in a highball glass and add Trading Tides gin and fill the glass with ice and add dry ginger ale. Gently stir so that the raspberries do not float to the top. Garnish with 2 raspberries and serve immediately.

Gin & Tea by Passcode Only

Ingredients
60ml Gin
15ml Simple Syrup
15ml Lime Juice
120ml Earl Grey Tea spiced with cinnamon, clove, star anise

Mixology
Add all ingredients except the tea in a wine glass. Stir well. Top up with the tea. Garnish with fresh mint. 

Green Fields by The Bombay Canteen

Ingredients:
45ml gin
30ml jasmine and green tea syrup
30ml starfruit juice
10ml lime juice
1 egg white
Jasmine flowers for garnish

Mixology
To prepare the jasmine and green tea syrup, add 100gms jasmine flowers and four teaspoons of green tea leaves in one litre of sugar syrup. Allow this to infuse for 12 hours. Strain into a bottle or an airtight container and store in a cool dark place. Add all the ingredients into a shaker (if you don’t have a cocktail shaker take any jar which has a lid) and shake without ice first to get the desired texture. Then shake with ice and double strain into a glass over ice. Garnish with jasmine flowers or a slice of starfruit.

Larkin G&T by Yangdup Lama

Ingredients
60ml Gin
10ml Homemade Roasted Pineapple and Honey shrub
5ml Fresh Lime juice
90ml Classic India Tonic

Mixology
In a stem glass filled with ice, pour the gin, pineapple and honey shrub, fresh lime and top with tonic. Garnish with a fresh pineapple leaf and a slice and serve.