What’s better than an Indian gin brand? An Indian gin brand that has been started entirely by two women! Ladies and gentlemen, meet Matinee Gin, and the founders of it - Anjali Shahi and Lavanya Jayashankar.
While their journey with gin began in 2003 - drinking G&Ts in Singapore, naturally - it all started to come together in 2018, when Anjali decided it was time to make an Indian gin, and Lavanya was all in. Working with mixologists and consultants to find the perfect recipe, Matinee has the usual ingredients but also four never-been-used ones. So, expect to get a hit of Snake saffron, white turmeric, Kagzi lime, and Goan peppercorn, that are not just Indian, they say, but also throw in a whole different set of flavours compared to the usual fennel, cloves, and coriander seeds. Over 42 individual distillations later, the final product of Matinee comes with a hint of spice, a burst of citrus and a dash of earthiness. Or as the founders say “eight ingredients in total come together to form a drink that feels like a burst of freshness with every sip”.
I love how the ladies take their work seriously, but want us to have fun with the gin. “The spirit is indeed complex and requires careful creation of a recipe and a very precise distillation to get to the perfect taste in the bottle. But that’s our job as the makers.” All you and I are meant to do my dear, is have fun, chill out and make conversation over a drink or two.
Currently, it’s available at Goa at INR 1,499. So either you go there, or get someone to bring this for you. And also one for me, yea?