HBI Staff | Hyderabad 
Nao Spirits’ aged gin, Broken Bat, has won the prestigious ‘Best Gin in Asia’ award at The Gin Guide Awards 2023 as well as being named as a Winner in the Aged Gin Category globally.
Inspired by their love for cricket, the distillers at Nao Spirits turned to the iconic Kashmir Willow cricket bats to give this gin an Indian twist. After cleaning, then carefully shaving and removing the handles from the bats, the remaining bat was cut into wood chips, which were then toasted and immersed for two months in Greater Than’s Classic London Dry gin, creating a first-of-its-kind experience with the colour, the aromas and the taste.
Anand Virmani, Co-founder, CEO, and Distiller at Nao Spirits & Beverages sharing his excitement over the win said, “We always push ourselves at the distillery to create gins that push the limits of what can be done. When we set out to create an aged gin, we knew we were taking a massive risk by ditching the usual oak barrels and instead opting for Kashmir Willow which had never previously been used to age any spirit. We have been getting a lot of love for Broken Bat already, but to win “Best Gin in Asia” and Win the overall Aged Gin category takes everything to another incredible level. All of us are absolutely honored and look forward to taking this Gin to the rest of the world.”
The competition featured a rigorous evaluation process, with a diverse panel of judges from various global regions assessing hundreds of Gins from over 35 different countries. Winning an award of such prestige is definitely a clear indication of the outstanding quality of the spirit but more importantly, it highlights the growing recognition and acceptance of innovative Indian craft spirits.
A first of its kind, the Broken Bat was launched in India and Australia in November 2022. The limited edition is currently available in 3 Indian states – Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. The distillers plan to expand its availability to Rajasthan, Telangana, West Bengal & Haryana in the upcoming months.
