That distinct taste: Why the world is toasting Indian spirits

Few Indian consumer categories have brands that can claim to go global. Premium spirits, especially whisky, is one of them.

- Soumya Gupta

Piccadily Distilleries’ Indri single malt, launched in 2021, is one such global hit with top honours, including the Best Indian Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards 2024 and the Best World Whisky at the Las Vegas Global Spirit Awards 2025. But as attitudes to alcohol shift and Indian brands pique global curiosity, what is the best way to build and safeguard a premium brand in a highly regulated market? Shalini Sharma, head of marketing at Piccadily Agro Industries, tells Mint it’s all about sticking to the basics of storytelling. Edited excerpts:

How has the business of premium spirits changed in the last two decades?

Consumers today are a lot more experimental and discerning than they were 18 years ago. They want the provenance, the story they can connect with. There’s growing pride in homegrown excellence.