18 Home-Grown Liquor Brands You Should Definitely Try

34570 Interested |
160K  Views

The Indian liquor business has witnessed a boom in the past few years, offering alcohol that has a distinct desi taste and also hits the right spots. Plus, local alcohol doesn't need to hold the bad-kid reputation it usually does, not if you know the art of discernment, and concocting well-balanced drinks using them. So, for all you kids (18+ of course) out there who are looking to learn about interesting liquor brands, we've curated an awesome list of home-grown alcohol brands for you guys to explore.

Note: Most of these brands are available across all metros. You can run an online check or call your nearest liquor store for more details on availability.

Charosa Tempranillo Reserve

The Charosa Winery is located in Charosa village, Maharashtra, and the Charosa Tempranillo is considered to be one of the best red wines of our country. It smells like coconuts, chocolate and vanilla, and is a dry red wine. You can taste hints of fruits like raspberry, strawberry and plum. It's best paired with red meat (or great galouti kebabs) and grilled vegetables. 

Price & Availability: INR 2,500. You can get a bottle at any wine shop in Delhi.

Woodburns

Woodburns is a beautiful Indian malt whiskey produced in the Fullarton distilleries (Goa), made without any traces of foreign malts. Woodburns has an iconic charcoal and smokey taste to it, which although might take some getting used to, assures the full-bodied malt experience. Know more about it here.

Price & Availability: INR 1,500. You can maybe ask your Bombay, Pune, Bangalore and Goa friends to get it for you. 

DJ's Mahua Alcohol and Mahua Liqueur

Agave India has produced so many interesting spirits that we for sure cannot overlook a recent addition—Mahua spirit and liqueur. Mahua is a nectar-rich flower of the Madhuca longifolia tree, and this indigenous drink is rumoured to be known as the elixir of the Gods and the weakness of deities. But, what truly got us interested here is DJ's Mahua alcohol and Mahua liqueur being a product of this country's rich tribal history. So, we say, definitely go for it! 

Price: INR 975.

Simba Beer

Simba Beer is one of the best craft beers in India. It has this super cool lion logo that cannot be missed! Originally, Simba started with two variants, their wheat beer and stout. You can taste hints of lemongrass and coriander in it, and the fragrance is not as pungent as other wheat beers. 

Price & Availability: INR 130 per pint. Available across Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Assam and Kolkata.

Cazulo Feni

There is a beautiful cocktail that that you can make by mixing sugarcane juice and Feni and if you're looking for a Feni brand, we suggest Cazulo. Their Feni is aged for a year in glass carboys-garrafao, and bottled depending on provenance.  We love that they are all about keeping this heritage drink's authenticity alive. 

Price & Availability: INR 500 and above. Cazulo can be found in wine and beer shops in Goa quite easily. 

Stranger & Sons Gin

This is another great spirit born out of Goa. Stranger & Sons Gin is a product of the Third Eye Distillery. It tastes slightly citrusy and spicy but not to the extent that the taste of juniper is oppressed. It's interesting to note that this gin has ingredients like black pepper, nutmeg, mace, coriander, liquorice and casia bark, sourced from local coastal regions. 

Price & Availability: INR 1,450. Since it's distilled in Goa, this one is also more easily available in Goa. Available in Delhi and Bangalore, too.

Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin

Expect it to smell citrusy and, of course, of juniper. You can taste the liquorice in it very evidently (but not overwhelmingly), along with the angelica and cubeb pepper. The Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin goes very well with orange and lemon peels added as garnishing. 

Price & Availability: INR 3,500. You can also find this at the Ashok T. Gulrajani Wine & Beer Shop in Jangpura. 

Smoke Vodka India

Smoke Vodka is a product of the NV group and is derived from saunf. There are two variants you can get; one is the classic one, the other is the aniseed one. It's a pretty smooth vodka (doesn't burn your throat like you're downing in the fires of hell) and will go well with any and every cocktail.

Price & Availability: INR 2,000. Available in Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Pune and Gurugram.

Forrest Wine Barna

Forrest Wine Barna can easily be classified as a dessert wine, especially if you choose to try their Mango wine. It's sweet and leaves a slightly strange aftertaste which is only noticeable during the first few sips.

Price & Availability: Around INR 700. Barna is only available in Himachal Pradesh, so if you have a friend who lives there or is travelling to Himachal, you might want to ask them to get it for you. 

Siqera

Siqera is an artisanal cider and, therefore, the new cool kid on the block. For those of you who are not familiar, cider is traditionally an apple beer that contains no malt grains (where as beer can contain fruit and other ingredients), but does taste a lot like beer. This brand does two types of ciders—one is the classic apple option, second is the mango one. 

Price & Availability: INR 200 for a pint. You can easily get this at most of the wine and beer shops in Gurgaon and other major cities in Haryana. 

Bellissima Big Banyan

Bellissima is another great dessert wine that you should definitely check out. It's produced by the Big Banyan Winery. They've got several other wines that are just as great. Try their Merlot or Sauvignon Blanc, too, while you're at it. 

Price & Availability: INR 400 and above. The winery is based a few kilometers from Bangalore, so it is mostly available in Bangalore and Goa. 

Kati Patang Beer

Originally brewed in Bhutan, Kati Patang made waves in the capital city only a few years ago. Their first beer, an Amber Ale is said to have unconventional flavour profile as compared to other wheat beers—it is more caramel and toffee-like with a floral and citrus finish. They have now also launched a turmeric and ginger wheat beer and a saffron lager.

Price & Availability: Between INR 130 and INR 180 (Delhi). Also available in Himachal Pradesh, Mumbai, and Bangalore, with plans to also launch in Chandigarh and Haryana.

Greater Than

Incidentally, team LBB's favourite gin (we're impartial), Greater Than also happens to be the country's first craft gin! This is a London-style dry gin made with nine different botanicals, including coriander seeds, Angelica, orange peels and lemongrass. It's citrus-forward and we enjoy it most in the classic G&T style.

Price & Availability:  Between INR 1,450 and INR 1,590. Available in Goa, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata & Hyderabad.

Grover Zampa Wines Chêne Reserve

One of India's oldest wineries, Grover Zampa has vineyards in Nandi Hills, Karnataka, and Nashik Valley, Maharashtra. These premium dual locations allow the brand to extract only the best that the country has to offer. Of their collection of premium wines, we love the Chêne Reserve for an evening of indulgence. Expect chocolate, toasty coffee and oak aromas, and an abundance of dark fruit, vanilla and cinnamon in each sip. 

Price & Availability: INR 1,700. Available in top liquor stores across the country.

Cabo White Rum

Rum lovers unite! And then proceed to text all your friends in Goa to help secure a bottle of the delicious Cabo White Rum. Encapsulating the tropical vibes of goa perfectly, this drink is essentially a blend of white rum and coconut extract, making this one a hit in every party. We love coconut taste—making it perfect for cocktails, or you can even have it on the rocks. Either way, you're going to fall in rum love. Read more here.

 Price & Availability:  INR 520 for 750ml bottle, easily available at nearly all local liquor and wine stores across Goa.

DeVANS GianChand Single Malt Whisky

Founded over 60 years ago in Jammu, DeVANS is one of the oldest producers of quality malt spirits and beer in India. They recently launched their premium offering, GianChand Single Malt Whisky which has a pineapple-drop candy sweetness, carried hand-in-hand by barley and a firm vanilla backbone softened by thin oils that ensure the tannin build.

Price & Availability: Currently available in Delhi at INR 4,490. It has also been launched in J&K and Ladakh and will soon be available in 10 more states.

Nilgiris Indian Dry Gin

Straight from the house that gave us Amrut Single Malt Whisky, Nilgiris Indian Dry Gin is a dry handcrafted gin made using the freshest botanicals from the Nilgiris mountains in the Western Ghats of India. The unique list of botanicals include juniper berries, lemongrass, nutmeg and tea, which make it a refreshing herbal-forward gin.

Price: INR 2,464 for 750 ml.

Makazai Rum

Makazai Rum has been creating buzz for a long time now. Started by Kasturi Banerjee, the rum is bottled in Goa and is available in two variants—the white rum, which is light and floral, with hints of sugarcane; and the gold rum, which is a more premium option with a creamy feel and notes of fig and honey. Read more about it here.

Price & Availability: INR 1,000 for the white rum and INR 1,300 for the gold in Goa. Also available in Mumbai and Bangalore.

Pro-Tip

What's that now? We haven't satiated your love for liquor? Then you must check out our lists on Top Homegrown Beer Brands, Best Indian Gin Brands and, of course, Our Favourite Local Wine Brands and Wines Under INR 2,000

And no, we haven't forgotten to share with you a list of Cocktail Recipes to try at home using these liquors. You can use these Alcohol Mixers to make your party a success! Cin cin!