That’s the spirit!

A few years ago, it was merely a trickle. Today, it’s a flood that will brook no stemming, with ‘craft’ being the watchword.

There’s a merry spirit revolution on in India that’s got both consumers and producers heady with joy, anticipation and success. First came the wine. Then the beer. And before you could shout out your tipsy cheers, there was the whisky. Racing on its heels was the hot gin trend. By this time, good-old rum had arrived in a startlingly new avatar while vodka was watching in the wings, all fizzed up. And the latest entrants, Agave and Mahura, are poised to be India’s answer to tequila.

A whole host of homegrown brands are not only experimenting with the way spirits are created but also enhancing flavour profiles and the myriad ways the drinks can be enjoyed. This has, in turn, pushed the ever-eager Indian urban consumer to ditch their cliched poisons and get curious about what they are drinking, how they are drinking it, what it is made of, what can it be paired with and how it can be elevated into a whole new experience.

Take, for instance, rum, which was once languishing at the bottom of the barrel because it was cheap, widely drunk and easily available. Today, it has seen the kind of innovation that would gladden any enthusiast’s spirit. There is Indian rum made from sugarcane juice instead of molasses while craft rum brands are experimenting with a whole range of ingredients, including pepper and coffee, and pushing the envelope when it comes to distillation and ageing processes.

Connoisseurs have seen this story having already played out with the craft gin boom that hit the country just before the pandemic did. Craft beer and single malt whisky, of course, are now in the been-there-done-that land. Nikhil Wahi, Founder and Director of Biergarten, a well-known Bengaluru-based craft brewery, says, with the kind of competition craft beer has in the market today, they aim to “refine the brewing process” rather than constantly introduce new, experimental beers. He adds: “Exceptional beer is not just about novelty, but about high-quality, delicious brews. That being said, we do have a small-scale pilot brewery where we occasionally get creative with new ingredients, techniques, and styles.”

Although the current trend of innovative craft spirits can be largely attributed to rising expendable incomes in Indian metros, anecdotal evidence suggests that this also stems from a deep-seated desire for self-expression in this age of high consumerism. For many, a craft cocktail in hand is a tangible representation of their success, affluence and achievements. 

Little wonder then that India is one of the fastest-growing alcoholic beverages markets in the world today. The industry is expected to reach $64 billion over the next five years according to the International Spirits and Wines Association of India (ISWAI). The association’s report also states that the market has seen “a shift in social attitudes towards alcohol consumption” with a drinking culture that’s quickly moving towards “more discernment and less show.” 

This is exactly why agave spirits that are relatively new to the market are making waves today. Kimberly Pereira, Chief Operating Officer at Maya Pistola Agavepura (Pistola) believes their motto of ‘Think Wild, Drink Wild’ for the agave spirits the company makes is part of a well-thought-out “commitment to indigenous identity, authenticity, and innovation.” 

Agave, for the uninitiated, is the plant that is used to make tequila but for a spirit to be considered tequila, it must be made from Blue Weber agave produced in certain regions of Mexico. “This is a relatively new spirit to the Indian beverage market but it is, in fact, quite an authentic alternative to tequila,” she insists. The company, of course, has to battle tequila’s not-so-clean reputation as the after-party dampener — in other words, the ‘hangover’ drink. Kimberley says Pistola’s agave spirits are created from wild Agave Americana growing abundantly in the highlands of Chittoor district in the Deccan Plateau. “It has no additional additives and is a clear robust spirit, and importantly, a hangover-free indulgence.” 

Another interesting addition to this growing list is the Mahura spirit, said to be the only one in the world distilled entirely from flowers. With a legacy of more than a century, South Seas Distilleries recently ‘resurrected’ this heritage spirit with two releases: Six Brothers 1922 Resurrection, a commemorative release of 102 bottles of rare, matured Mahura spirit and a small batch variant that is double distilled and platinum filtered. According to Hamavand Chinoy, Director of South Seas Distilleries: “The Mahura spirit is a tribute to the craft my great-grandfather and his brothers began in 1922. This is a very Indian, truly unique floral drink that can well stand on its own.”

A recent report ‘What India is Drinking 2024’ released by 30BestBarsIndia clearly reflected this growing Indian presence in the mind of the consumer. Vikram Achanta, Co-Founder of 30BestBarsIndia, says it is striking that 71 Indian brands have made it to the top 10 across various spirit categories. “Yes, international brands still lead the market, but this is a testament to the growing confidence in locally crafted spirits.” What can one say except cheers to that!