This Rare Berry Grows In Meghalaya for Just 6 Weeks, And It’s Now a Gin

There’s a new spirit in town, and it’s rewriting the rules of homegrown craft gin.

Northeast India, or should I say the lesser-discovered gem of the nation, is pristine and untouched. With crystal-clear skies, lush green landscapes, and air that feels impossibly pure, my visit to Shillong, Meghalaya, proved exactly why this region deserves more love. As we journeyed into the hills, we found ourselves in the homeland of an Indian-origin Gin, Cherrapunji Eastern Craft Gin. A sharp contrast to the bourgeoning gin distilleries in Goa, this Eastern India Craft Gin prides itself on the local climate and ingredients, offering something new to the nation.

The small towns of Mawsynram and Cherrapunji, known for their heavy rainfall, are home to the Raincheck Earth Distillery, which embraces this climatic gift wholeheartedly. Known globally as one of the rainiest places on Earth, Cherrapunji inspired founder Mayukh Hazarika to use its abundant natural resource — rainwater — as the foundation of his gin. Naturally distilled and exceptionally pure, it became the ideal ingredient for crafting spirits. This set the tone for the gin’s flavour profile: citrus-forward, crisp, earthy, with subtle notes of spice and smoke from botanicals like smoked tea and cardamom.

“If people are buying Cherrapunji Gin, they should be able to taste the place. I’ve drawn inspiration from our local food — for instance, people here eat a lot of smoked dishes, so the gin carries a subtle smoky note. The smoky flavour comes from a special tea we use, smoked with pine needles, which adds another layer of depth to the gin,” Mayukh Hazarika told us during an intimate interaction.

After years in marketing, Mayukh followed his passion in 2023 and created one of India’s finest small-batch gins. Cherrapunji is also one of the few aged gins in the country. “The gin is made at the House of Fulgens in a modern pot still, and it takes around 17–18 hours to produce 600 bottles,” he explained. “After distillation, the gin rests in tanks for 3–6 months to develop a rounded, balanced flavour. Apart from Monkey 47, we’re the only ones who age our gins.”

Following the huge success of the original gin — made with botanicals sourced close to the distillery, including Eastern Himalayan juniper, GI-tagged Khasi mandarin, smoked tea from the Lushai Hills, and Kaji nemu from the Assam Valley — Mayukh introduced a new expression in December 2025, Cherrapunji Sohiong Berries.

One of the brand’s core values is giving back more than they take. “We use only local botanicals. For example, we only need the peel of the Khasi Mandarin. So we give the fruit pulp to farmers and a local jam factory free of cost, and we partner with FPOs who process it and return the benefits to the community,” he said.

The New Expression: Cherrapunji Sohiong Berries Unsweetened

Inspired by autumn in Meghalaya — a season when cherry blossoms bloom, and the rain finally slows — this expression brings together two local treasures: Sohiong berries and Dyingling cherry blossoms. After his long stay in the United Kingdom and his exposure to Britain's Sloe gin — a red liqueur made with gin and blackthorn fruits (sloes) — Mayukh was passionate to bring the concept to India. He tapped into the potential of a unique berry — the Sohiong berry — which grows wild in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills for just six weeks in September. “The Sohiong berries grow in the wild; they aren’t cultivated, which makes them truly indigenous to the region,” added Mayukh. “‘Soh’ means fruit, and ‘iong’ means black, so these are black berries with a seed. They have a very sweet flavour and appear only for a brief six-week window.” The result was a gin named after the berry itself — Cherrapunji Sohiong Berries, Unsweetened and Uncoloured.

The gin itself uses Sohiong berries, cherry blossom petals, taro root, chamomile, Eastern Himalayan juniper berries, Khasi mandarin and Kaji nemu. The result is a warm, spicy palate, a sweet aroma and a deep, natural pink colour. “Making a gin from berries is extremely rare, and we’ve also added some very unusual ingredients. For example, we use taro — something no one has ever used in gin before. Taro gives the gin its smooth mouthfeel and helps hold all the flavours together,” Mayukh said.The result is a gin with natural sweetness and a fuller, more textured taste.

The spirit has a natural sweetness, fuller texture, and rich colour derived entirely from the berries and blossoms — with no added sugar or artificial colour. Sohiong berries contribute dense, sweet-tart complexity, while cherry blossoms soften the edges, adding a delicate floral whisper.

But why use these berries and cherry blossoms? Sohiong is a stone fruit like a cherry or prune, but with denser pulp and a fast-releasing deep colour. Its acidity and sweetness sit close together, giving it a natural balance that holds up well during distillation. It keeps its dark, sweet-tart flavour without turning syrupy or losing strength in alcohol. On the other hand, cherry blossoms, locally called Dyingling, bloom briefly in the Khasi hills each November. Their delicate petals are gathered during this short window. In the gin, they soften the tartness of the Sohiong berry, add a gentle floral note, and give the spirit its soft pink hue without overpowering the other botanicals. Because Meghalaya receives only around 30 tonnes of Sohiong berries each year, grown naturally in the wild, this gin a true small-batch expression.

The Packaging

Being one of the two or three companies around the world to package their gin in stainless steel bottles, the beauty lies in the bottle. Carrying forward from their original gin, packaged in a bronze colour reusable, stainless steel bottle, this Sohiong berry edition builds on it. Drenched in a white hue (the colour of the season), on the bottle, Portland-based designer Reshidev RK creates beautiful blossom branches, drifting clouds, the mountain sohiong berry, and the ridges of the highlands, telling its own story. Shade of blue, pink, green and deep gold embossing, catching the eye, delivering a feminine but impactful product.

Giving the bottle a functional edge, the cap is designed to measure each pour. The patented precision-pour jigger ensures every serving is exact, making the bottle both stylish and practical. The 30 ml jigger is cleverly hidden in the cap, allowing you to pour the perfect drink with ease.

The Drinking Experience

Crafted at the House of Fulgens distillery, the spirit offers a layered tasting journey. Sipped neat, it delivers a warm, whisky-like burn, with bright citrus aromas rising first. As it opens up with a splash of water or soda, the sweeter berry notes start to shine. The first sip feels smooth and comforting, full of soft berry warmth, and once diluted, the flavours unfold more clearly — balanced, rounded and easy to drink.

Cherrapunji Sohiong Berries Unsweetened Gin is an expression of Meghalaya’s land, culture, and seasonal rhythms. From wild berries to rain-fed purity, from cherry blossoms to smoked tea, every element pays tribute to its birthplace. In a market overflowing with craft gins, this one stands apart for its authenticity, its storytelling, and its love for nature. It is a sip of the Northeast — honest, bold, delicate, and unforgettable.