East Indies archipelago gin raises Indonesia’s spirits

Written by Nigel Simmonds
Say hello to East Indies Archipelago Dry Gin. This classic juniper-flavoured tipple comes to us courtesy of those good peeps at the Spice Island Distilling Co and is the first craft gin to be made in the archipelago. Subtle local flavours have been added to give it a unique Indonesian flavour – specifically torch ginger flower and batak pepper.

Unlike local gins which mix flavouring with ethanol (boo), East Indies Archipelago Dry Gin is made authentically by redistilling 96% pure grain alcohol with juniper and the finest botanicals from around the Indonesian archipelago.

Company spokesman Richard Irving told us: “Our master distiller has carefully balanced the myriad flavours of our Indonesian botanicals with the highest quality Macedonian Juniper. The objective was to get a balance between the perfect concentration of flavours and a smooth clean spirit – which I have to say he has more than achieved!”

Spice Islands Distilling Co uses fresh natural water filtered for purity and makes its craft gin in a German-made 550L copper still, affectionally known as ‘Gede’ – the name many Balinese give to their first-born child.

Smooth, refreshing and deep in flavour thanks to its authentic distillation method, this gin is great in a classic gin and tonic with a Kecombrang petal garnish, and also mixes extraordinarily well with classic gin cocktails such as Negronis and Martinis.

“We believe strongly in the potential for Indonesia to produce world-class spirits using the incredible array of products and botanicals available here,” said Irving. “Our mission is to ‘Raise Indonesian Spirits’ and share them with the world.” 

East Indies Gin will be available in all good food and beverage establishments and premium retailers of alcoholic beverages in Jakarta & Bali by the end of the year and will be available in Singapore, Australia, Thailand and the UK by the end of 2022.

Follow their Instagram accounts @eastindiesgin and @spiceislandsdistillingco  for further information on launch dates, cocktail recipes and retailers information

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