MUMBAI: Tilaknagar Industries, the veteran booze-maker with a 90-year legacy, is set to spice up its liquor lineup by distributing Amara artisanal pink vodka, a flamboyant new spirit from craft distiller Spaceman Spirits Lab. The arrangement, which kicks off in Q1 FY26, will see Tilaknagar pocket royalties for flogging Spaceman's premium tipples across select Indian states and international markets.
The collaboration adds a splash of colour to Tilaknagar's existing portfolio of posh Indian plonk, including two Millionaire brandy brands—Mansion House and Courrier Napoleon - Monarch Legacy Edition brandy, Mansion House whisky, Madiraa rum and Blue Lagoon gin. The deal will see Spaceman's entire range—Samsara gin, Sitara rum and the new Amara Vodka—riding on Tilaknagar's extensive distribution network, giving both companies a proper leg-up in the premium spirits market.
India's vodka scene is positively buzzing, with consumption soaring 16.5 per cent in 2023, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis. While bog-standard vodka still dominates with 94 per cent market share, the fancy stuff is growing at a cracking pace—super-premium vodka swelled by 19.6 per cent between 2022 and 2023.
"Globally, craft spirits are having a moment, with flavoured concoctions leading the charge in premium innovations," says Tilaknagar Industries chairman & managing director Amit Dahanukar. "India is fast catching up, with younger consumers and trendy high-energy urban bars embracing colourful, Instagrammable cocktails. The global shift toward premiumisation and flavored vodkas bodes well for the Amara."
The debutante, which will square off against posh global vodka brands, is a lavish blend of five-times distilled spirits made from Bangalore blue grapes and rice grains from India's Deccan Plateau. The rosy-hued spirit is infused with a garden party of ingredients—strawberries, passion fruit, peaches, citrus, rose petals, lotus and cherry blossoms—and filtered through pink rubies for extra swank.
Founded by Aditya Aggarwal, Riddhi Aggarwal, Sapna Aggarwal and Jai Chopra, Spaceman Spirits Lab is renowned for pushing boundaries in the craft spirits industry.
"India is experiencing a post-Covid drinking renaissance," says Spaceman Spirits Lab founder & managing director Aditya Aggarwal. “Consumers are seeking elevated experiences, occasion-driven consumption, unique flavours, and ultra-premium-quality spirits. With Amara, we’re bringing craftsmanship and innovation into a category that is ripe for disruption.”
This pink concoction won't come cheap—a 750ml decanter will set punters back between Rs 2,500 and Rs 4,500, depending on local taxes. It'll initially be available in premium outlets across Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan, before swanning off to international markets including duty-free shops, UAE, UK and Singapore in the latter half of FY26.
Tilaknagar had already shown its fondness for Spaceman last September, announcing a follow-on investment of Rs 13.15 crore that would boost its stake to 20 per cent. With this latest move, the venerable liquor merchant appears determined to paint the town pink.
