The world’s first Indo-Japanese gin, Doja, features yuzu lemons, sansho peppers, cedar leaves, cardamom, coriander, and other botanicals native to Asia. The flavors of two cultures come together in every sip of Doja. Get a taste of the premium craft gin by picking up a bottle in a store near you when it launches in Goa. Doja, led by Jai Anand, aims to create a new wave of craft gin in India and elevate the spirit’s drinking culture.
Doja is created by a veteran distiller in Wakayama, Japan, and produced by East Side Distillery in Goa, fusing botanicals from India and Japan. Aside from the coriander, pepper, fennel, and cardamom from India, there are also yuzu, juniper berries, cedar leaf, sansho pepper, and hinoki chips from Japan in the premium craft gin that incorporates citrusy, floral, sweet, and spicy flavors.
Japan’s sense of perfection, futurism and art inspired Jai to produce Doja during the pandemic. By partnering with a distillery in the East Asian country, he formulated a gin that is unique to the Indian palate while elevating the gin-drinking culture in India. Similarly, the name Doja reflects the collaboration this initiative brought, borrowing ‘do’ from ‘India’ and ‘ja’ from ‘Japan’.
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Doja Gin distilled in a single shot
The perfect recipe was arrived at after 47 trials. Now, Doja uses a single-shot method of distillation. Once the gin has been steamed, it is blended with demineralized water before bottling at 42.8% alcohol by volume (ABV). This is done to preserve the essential oils of the botanicals and give the drink a smooth mouthfeel.
Jai Anand says, ‘As the gin culture picks up, consumer’s taste profiles are also evolving. Modern-day consumers are looking for artisanal premium options that don’t compromise on quality. Here’s where Doja fits in! We wanted to bring the two cultures of Japan and India together to create a unique tasting, high-end product. We want our consumers to savor the uniqueness of botanicals from these two rich countries and appreciate the concept of this small-batch craft gin’.
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A traditional method of making the drink, using equipment that dates back hundreds of years, is also followed. The gin is made using a copper still from Holstein, Germany, which gives it a smoothness without the alcohol burn. Each distillation is personally checked by the head distiller to ensure its quality before being bottled.
Considering the increasing culture of drinking gin, Doja believes that the time is right for premium gin, especially since it is an easier spirit to swallow and can be consumed at any time of day. Doja is available in Goa for Rs 2,050 for a 700 ml bottle. In 2022, it plans to expand to other parts of the country, beginning with Mumbai.
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