For obvious reasons, the last quarter or thereabouts is always the most buzzing time for the alcobev industry. We’ve had a slew of interesting launches in the recent past. India got its first jaggery rum in the form of Huli in August. Produced at a micro-distillery near Mysore, the single-origin jaggery rum is only available in Karnataka. Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABDL), the country’s third largest company, moved upmarket with Zoya gin, and Stranger & Sons has tied up with specialty coffee company Subko to create the Filtr Martini, a ready-to-drink cocktail. Whisky maker Paul John is also readying its annual Christmas edition release that is expected to have notes of mango and pineapple and a long, fruity finish. The Christmas edition has been matured in Caribbean rum and American virgin oak casks. Here, we take a look at some of the other standout launches that caught our eye, and should ideally find a place in our home bar or yours this winter.

The Macallan Rare Cask 2023

The Glasgow-headquartered Edrington Group, which owns The Macallan, has been paying closer attention to India of late, and understandably so. In April this year, it launched the extremely limited edition M 2023, considered to be among the darkest whiskies created by the distiller. Now, it has dropped its Rare Cask release, which, as the name suggests, has come out of distinctive sherry-seasoned oak casks at the storied Speyside whisky maker’s warehouses. The Rare Cask whiskies are annual releases, made in collaboration with a person of note. The 2023 Release, a rich, complex whisky, with a velvety mouthfeel and notes of sweet raisin, has been co-created with Scottish musician and composer Charlie Burchill. Priced at about ₹40,000, this is a whisky to sip at leisure after the festive din has died down.

Jaisalmer Gin Gold

Radico Khaitan’s Jaisalmer Gin, which has a 50% market share in the luxury gin category, has provided a consistently superb experience for the last five years. And that makes one extremely curious about the recently launched Gold edition, which, the company says, uses a filtration process involving “intertwined golden silk filaments” that enhance its smoothness. Botanicals in the gin include saffron, the world’s most expensive spice, as well as orange peel from Nagpur; green tea from Darjeeling; and pink pepper from eastern India. The Gold edition costs between ₹4,000 and ₹7,000.

Amrut Bella

In 2012, Amrut secured the first-ever licence in India to distill jaggery, after which it created Two Indies, a blend of Indian jaggery rum and molasses-based rums from the Caribbean. With its latest launch, Bella, it takes its engagement with jaggery further. Bella, among the world’s first jaggery-distilled rums, uses jaggery from Mandya, Karnataka’s sugar bowl. It is distilled in pot stills and matured for six years in ex-bourbon barrels. Amrut says that the artisanal rum is both fruity and chocolatey, with a sweet, almond-ey finish. Bella is priced at ₹3,500 in Karnataka.

Indri Diwali Edition 2024

Indri’s much awarded annual series is out with yet another lauded whisky. The Diwali editions, which are matured in Pedro Ximezez sherry casks, have a completely different profile from the Indri Trini. The 2024 edition is bottled at 50% ABV and promises sweet peat smoke and elegant sherry notes. The whisky, which retails for ₹15,000 and recently bagged a gold at the World Whiskies Awards, is only available in Gurugram.

Russian Standard & Onegin vodkas

You’d think the vodka scene has been kind of quiet, but fact is, 13 million cases of vodka are sold annually in India and the category is growing at about 20%. Both the latest vodkas on the shelves are made in St Petersburg. The Russian Standard range, distributed by ABDL, uses glacial water and winter wheat from the Russian Steppes. Prices range from ₹2,200 for the Original to ₹5,000 for the Platinum in Maharashtra. Onegin, imported by Monika Alcobev, undergoes triple charcoal filtration and is elevated with infusions of almond, honey distillate, and vanilla. The vodka, named after the main character of the Alexander Pushkin novel, sells for ₹5,400.

Arthaus

ABDL, which owns millionaire brands such as Officer’s Choice Whisky and Sterling Reserve, is amping up its premium play. The latest addition to its premium portfolio, besides Zoya gin and Russian Standard vodka, is Arthaus, a blended malt scotch whisky. The whisky is a blend of single malts from the Highlands and Speyside in Scotland, and retails for ₹4,800 in Mumbai.

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