Well here is my 20c worth :-)
A column is only needed when you want to rectify the spirit. Some Gin distiller insist a column is essential most do not. A column can strip out some of the botanicals. Assuming you are using a good NGS as input, then a basic pot still with a Gin Head will work. A lot of Gin Distillers get very complicated with still configuration and design, claiming it is essential to their formulation. They key is experimentation.
Produce what you can sell. Its that simple. Very small batches will give you consistency problems. But you dont want your entire working capital tied up in un-sold stock. In small startups, I find the still budget therefore size answers this question.
This is down to personal taste and what you desire in the end. Some botanicals respond well to spirit maceration well before distillation, others do not. The general rule of thumb with gin is a gin head in the vapour path yields better results. Experiment, you will probably need both methods to produce your final design.
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When you say Asia, can you be more specific? Its a big place. The alcohol laws in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand are utterly draconian for a distiller, but improving.
This example is a common trend in Gin production where they are distilling all the botanicals separately and blending the individual spirits afterwards. Its a popular trend outside of Europe as the ROW often struggles to get batch after batch consistent quality with botanicals purchased. One order the junipers are plump, un-ripe, and carrying way too much moisture, the next are dry, dusty mouldy old bullets.
in Asia, Thailand is one of the biggest suppliers of quality glass. Note when I say quality. Most of the glass from India and China I have found to be of very unpredictable quality. France is still the king of high end glass (SaverGlass) and Italy (BruniGroup) a close second. Glass always becomes an issue of the practical minimum buy, versus the cost of shipping. Remember a pallet contains about 600-800 bottles, so 1 pallett is often a good starting place. For a vintage reproduction check SaverGlass and Bruni. A custom mold, and minimum run costs can cripple a start-up. Look to a catalogue design, think outside the square with regard to ink, coatings, labels to give the effect you desire. The cheapest place I am finding for custom glass and molds at present in Eastern Europe (Romania, Poland, Czech Rep)
In my opinion 90% of start-up distilleries fail because they fail to establish a distribution model. Great product, good back story, funky design and bottle, no customers. The second aspect I see is crap product. If it aint a great product, no amount of customers will buy it (well a second time LOL).
Growing your own botanicals could be a great back story, as long as you don't become a farmer above being a distiller.