#7 Vikram Achanta - Indigenous Indian Spirits, Indian Bar Culture, Indian Whisky, Awards

Vikram Achanta who is a 25 year veteran of the India bar and drinks industry. He is the  founder of Tulleeho, one of the country’s premiere education and consultancy agencies, the co-founder of 30 Best Bars in India and the co-founder of India Bartender Week.  This conversation, recorded in October at Bar Convent Berlin, features Vikram, who was delivering a seminar on the rise of indigenous Indian spirits. I spent an insightful hour with him during the event. In the first 15 minutes, Vikram discusses the rapid evolution of the Indian bar scene, which has progressed significantly since my last visit to Delhi over a decade ago. We then delve into spirits production in India, covering gin, rum, and whisky—India is now the world’s largest whisky producer, consumer, and a major importer of Scotch. We also explore Indian agave spirits and dedicate the second half of the episode to Mahua and Feni, two lesser-known indigenous spirits made in small, traditional distilleries. It’s fascinating to consider whether these unique spirits could someday achieve global recognition, much like mezcal has in recent years.