FIRST JOURNEYS - EUROPEAN EXPEDITION- PIN 17 OF 40
NAKAL GIN - Geneva, Switzerland
A ROAD TRIP WHERE EVERY STOP HAS A STORY
Where Swiss precision meets Southeast Asian soul.
Geneva may be famous for diplomacy, watchmaking and lakeside elegance, but it is also one of Europe's most international cities. People, cultures and ideas from around the world meet here every day, so it feels like the perfect home for a gin inspired by travel.
Nakal is distilled in Basel but conceived in Geneva by founder Jacob Botta, whose years of travelling and working throughout Southeast Asia inspired a spirit that brings together East and West in a single bottle. Rather than recreating a traditional London Dry, he wanted to capture the flavours, aromas and memories of the region that had left such a lasting impression on him.
The recipe is created by blending the hearts of three separate distillations, producing a gin that is both smooth and intensely aromatic. It remains unmistakably gin, with juniper providing the backbone, but the supporting cast is anything but conventional.
Pandan leaves bring their distinctive sweet, grassy aroma, calamansi adds bright citrus freshness, cassia contributes gentle warmth, while galangal and calamus add further layers of spice, citrus and earthy complexity. Bottled unfiltered at 46% ABV, it naturally turns cloudy when ice or tonic is added as the botanical oils are released — a sure sign that plenty of flavour has been left in the bottle.
One final detail deserves a closer look—the name and bottle.
Nakal is an Indonesian and Malay word meaning mischievous, playful or a little bit naughty, perfectly reflecting a gin that delights in challenging expectations. The beautifully textured label is equally intriguing. At first glance it appears to be an elegant botanical illustration, but look more carefully and hidden shapes and forms begin to emerge. Like the spirit itself, it invites curiosity and rewards a second look, celebrating the idea that the most interesting discoveries are often those that aren't immediately obvious.
A passport in a bottle — from
Geneva to Southeast Asia.
It really is quite a special gin and one that rewards taking your time over. Rather than overpowering the more unusual botanicals, I've kept today's serve simple with one of my favourite classics.
Pandan Gimlet
50ml Nakal Gin
25ml fresh lime juice
15ml sugar syrup
A few drops of pandan extract
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe.
"Show me a bottle and I’ll tell you a story."