Assam Tea, Nov 29: To keep the legacy of his grandparents alive, Nishant Kumar, who has lived all his life in Scotland, has used Oolong tea from Assam in a gin- which is the world’s first chai-infused gin which was launched at Edinburgh recently and has not forgotten his second home Assam.
Rutland Square Gin is a premium boutique craft gin carefully created in Edinburgh (Scotland), drawing inspiration from the East. The Rutland Square Gin is first in the portfolio and is currently being distilled at Summerhall Distillery in Edinburgh city centre.
An exciting new Scottish gin which is the world’s first Assam Oolong tea-infused chai sipping gin has just been launched.
Rutland Square Gin is named after the home of the Indian Consulate in Edinburgh. It is produced at Summerhall Distillery draws inspiration from the East, it includes a blend of 14 exciting botanicals including Oolong white tea.
Nishant Sharma set out to revive his Great Grandfather legacy, Tej Ram’s spirit enterprise which was born in the 1940s in Assam. Tej was an Indian spirit entrepreneur and visionary who distilled gin and blended whisky in Dibrugarh. Assam is famous the world over for the production of white tea.
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Gin’s main ingredient is juniper berries, and the flavour and combination of that work pretty well with tea. Along with Juniper berries, there are so many ingredients that might go in. Some might have cinnamon, some star anise, some black pepper, and so overall, it makes it compatible to make it match with tea.
The whole-leaf Oolong white tea used in Rutland Square Gin is sourced from a single estate in Assam and has a rich floral aroma with a rich yet clean and fresh liquor.
The gin also includes fresh juniper, cubeb peppers, caraway seeds, angelica and vetiver root, cardamon and star-anise with notes of liquorice, lemon and orange peel and ginger.
The Oolong tea used in the gin is from the Halmari tea estate, which is known for getting the highest prices in tea auctions for several years now. Assam tea is a common ingredient in tea blends.
