Wearing India On The Sleeve

From bespoke jewellery, fashion and exquisite crafts to luxurious river cruises and handcrafted single malts, Indian luxury has arrived. More importantly, consumers are no longer shy of flaunting their centuries old provenance

- Ajita Shashidhar

THE ALILIA FORT IN BISHANGARH, Rajasthan, saw a high-profile get-together in May that was graced not just by the royalty of the state but also prominent private equity investors, business tycoons and celebrities who flew in from across the globe. It wasn’t a lavish wedding of a Bollywood diva or a cricket icon. It was the launch of Godawan Century, a bespoke 100-bottle-batch limited edition handcrafted single malt from Diageo. Thirty-four out of the 50 guests had pre-booked their 700 ml bottle, priced at ₹91,700. Godawan is the local name of the dwindling Great Indian Bustard, and Godawan Century is an ode to this beautiful bird.

Right from the place it is distilled (arid region of Alwar in Rajasthan) to method of distillation and the botanicals used, Godawan is the opposite of the famed single malts from Scotland. It is distilled in wooden casks in sweltering 40 degree centigrade plus heat while Scottish single malt is distilled in four degrees in lush green highlands.

Diageo’s strategy of launching handcrafted Indian single malt after being around in the country for over a decade makes sense. Year 2022 was one of the best for the Indian luxury industry, according to a recent Bain & Company report. The luxury market in India ($8.5 billion) could expand 3.5 times by 2030, says the report. The potential is being realised by entry of more luxury brands into India. French luxury retailer Galeries Lafayette (Europe’s largest luxury departmental chain with 290 stores that house over 200 brands) has partnered with Aditya Birla Fashion Retail to start Indian operations. Reliance Brands has signed up to bring Valentino (Italy) and Balenciaga (Spain) to India.