New-age Indian alcohol brands that you should add to your home bar

The alcohol business in India has managed to witness a boom in the past few years. There are some liquor brands for every taste palate. There’s a sudden wave of Indian spirit brands being crafted, distilled, and bottled across the country. From premium malts to buzzy gins, the Indian alcohol makers have upped their game. Keeping the same in mind, we have curated an awesome list of new-age Indian alcohol brands for you guys to explore.

Indri-Trini

Indri in Sanskrit refers to the five senses or Indriya – smell, taste, touch, sight, and sound. Distilled at the foothills of the Himalayas, Indri-Trini is the first Indian whisky to use a three-wood expression, a marriage of ex-bourbon, ex-French wine, and PX Sherry casks. With traces of black tea and caramelized pineapple, the aromas are luring. With a whiff of oak, vanilla, raisin, and honey, this whisky is a brilliant choice for single malt lovers. It has a gentle spice and wood taste, with a nutty character as well. It’s a smooth, warm blend that allows all the flavours to dance synchronously.

The berry-like top notes are a perfect transition for a smooth, fruity finish with a lingering after-palate, making it the most awarded Indian single malt. The first single malt expression to be launched from the house of Piccadilly Distilleries is available in India and Globally.

Price- 3700/-

Camikara

Derived from the Sanskrit word for “liquid gold”, Camikara is a small batch luxury sipping rum with a mere 6.6% of the original filled quantity left to be savoured by us and the remaining 94.4 % evaporated as angels share, which makes it one of its kind to be ever released to the consumer. It is the first pure cane juice ‘sipping rum’ to come from India, after being matured for twelve (12) long years in American oak barrels. Bottled at a strength of 50% ABV, Camikara has no added colour, caramel, sugar, or flavours, making it a 100% natural rum. Produced at Piccadilly Distilleries, this rum is the first ever Indian rum to win a ’Gold Medal’ at the International Wines & Spirits Competition (IWSC) 2023.  The well-deserved accolade shows that the indigenous rum has emerged as a worthy contender, and the world is awakening to the new star from India that is Camikara.

Price- 6,200/-

Mata Pistola Tequila Reposado       

India’s newest agave spirit, Maya Pistola Agavepura is craft 100% Agave Spirit made from the Wild Agave Americana that grows in India’s Deccan Plateau. India’s first aged 100% Agave Spirit, it’s additive-free, double distilled in pot stills which lend the characteristic smoothness and a rich flavor profile. The spirit is matured in different Oak casks comprising Virgin American Oak, Ex-Bourbon Casks, and Ex-Wine Barrels, depending on the variant type.

Price- 5,550 /-

J’Noon by Fratelli wines

J’NOON is a premium, limited edition offering of red, white, and sparkling wine created by Fratelli Wines in collaboration with international wine producer Indophile Jean-Charles Boisset. J’NOON (meaning passion or obsession) is available in white wine (a 60/40 barrel-fermented Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc), a red (24-month oak barrel and tank-fermented Cabernet Sauvignon with Marselan/Petit Verdot and some Sangiovese, in a style reminiscent of a Bordeaux red wine) and a sparkling wine called JCB No.47 in honour of the year of India’s independence. The trio are India’s most expensive wines in their categories.

Price- 720/- to 2220/-

Lone Wolf

Lone Wolf beers are brewed in Punjab and have a year-long shelf life. With two (2) variants currently out in the Indian market, Lone Wolf Strong and the Lone Wolf Mild Lager, they plan to add a couple of aromatic and rich beers to their portfolio every year. With the hops and yeasts imported from Germany, low additives and enzymes, the beer goes down easy and leaves one fresh to go out on the prowl the next morning, to break and make their own crescent trajectories. Lone Wolf is available for sale and distribution in Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh, while Punjab and Himachal Pradesh will follow soon after.

Price- Lone Wolf Strong: 110/-

Lone Wolf Mild: 85/-

Samsara pink gin

Samsara is another locally produced gin that is distilled in Goa. It’s prepared utilising the London Dry process and absolutely checks all the boxes. This one, too, is made with 11 plant extracts, including juniper berries, hemp seeds, and cardamom. Samsara’s gin has a distinct flavour that can be traced to the inclusion of hemp seeds.

Price- 2700/-

Smoke Saffron Vodka

Unlike any other vodka in the Indian or international markets, Smoke Lab is the first brand that uses basmati rice and Himalayan fresh water to produce their vodka, made in Delhi. By sourcing high-quality ingredients, using modern filtration, manufacturing gluten-free and vegan spirits, and distilling a zero-carbon footprint, the brand is revolutionizing the alcohol-making process itself.

Smoke had launched an exclusive saffron-infused flavour called smoke saffron recently made with the pride of Indian spices: saffron, sourced from Pampore, Kashmir.

This new flavour that is reminiscent of Indian sweets is sure to capture hearts with its unique flavour and mouthfeel, which goes down perfectly on the rocks.  

Price- 2600/-