Startup Originals Team
What began as a youthful curiosity in Tuscany and a trip to the Himalayan greenery of Uttarakhand has now grown into a celebrated spirits brand. Peak Spirits, founded by Ansh Khanna in 2018, has captured the palate of over a million customers with its Jin Jiji gin, an Indian-crafted, small-batch dry gin infused with Darjeeling tea and wild-foraged Himalayan juniper.
A Botanical Vision Sparked by Travel:
Growing up in Delhi, Ansh’s early schooling was followed by higher studies in science and accounting at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. But it was his travels at age sixteen-visiting vineyards in Tuscany and exploring Uttrakhand’s rich flora, that shaped his future. Inspired by family-run wineries and India’s incredible botanical diversity, he decided to pursue wine management and education at UCLA before gaining hands-on experience at a Californian winery.
Founding Peak Spirits: A Partnership Rooted in Craft
Together with Master Sommelier Ken Fredrickson, Ansh bootstrapped Peak Spirits with around ₹1 crore from personal savings. They chose Uttarakhand to set up their distillery, close to the plentiful botanicals needed for crafting their drinks.
Crafting Distinctive Spirits: Kamet and Jin Jiji
The duo experimented with nearly forty formulations before launching two signature drinks:
- Kamet: a single-malt whiskey.
- Jin Jiji: an Indian dry gin distilled in small copper pot batches, blending Darjeeling tea and wild Himalayan juniper.
Building Presence, First Abroad, Then at Home:
Peak Spirits initially focused on exporting. They navigated complex supply chains and customs to introduce Jin Jiji to audiences in New York, gaining traction with pop-up events and collaborations. Positive word-of-mouth and quality began building the brand internationally. Robust partnerships with restaurants and bars helped cement Peak Spirits’ reputation as a premium, handcrafted Indian spirit. During COVID-19, retail demand helped sustain the business. In 2023, they finally launched Jin Jiji in India.
Craftsmanship, Growth & Reach:
Today, Peak Spirits stands as a leader among India’s premium beverage brands. Its Jin Jiji gin is offered in two variants, India Dry Gin and Jin Jiji Darjeeling-both meticulously produced by a team that has now grown from three to twenty-five employees nationwide.
Milestone Achieved: Over 1 Million Customers
Since inception, Peak Spirits has served more than one million customers across India and overseas. In 2024 alone, nearly one million bottles were sold, a testament to the brand’s appeal and growing scale—though specific revenue figures have not been disclosed.
The Art of Premiumizing Indian Spirits:
Ansh emphasizes the rising consumer preference for premium, flavor-rich beverages. Jin Jiji embodies this shift, an elegant blend of India’s botanical heritage and modern craft spirits sensibility. The name itself, “Jin Jiji,” derives from the Hindi word Jijivisha, meaning a lust for life-a fitting identity for the brand.
Conclusion:
Peak Spirits’ journey, from a Delhi-born dream to a Himalayan-distilled reality-celebrates India’s botanical diversity and the growing global respect for Indian spirits. With Jin Jiji, Ansh Khanna and Ken Fredrickson have not just made gin, they’ve bottled the essence of Indian innovation and tradition, one premium sip at a time.
