It’s a balmy autumn evening in north Guwahati, a stone’s throw away from the mighty Brahmaputra river that meanders through much of the city, also called the gateway to northeast India. As we enter the bottling and maturation unit of Radiant Manufacturers, a homegrown alcobev company, the first thing that catches our eye are the bottling lines attended by women.
“Of the 200-odd people that work here, about 150 are women,” offers the manager of the unit.
Moving further inside, we are greeted by rows of charred new American oakwood casks that are maturing a special kind of spirit—a grain whiskey made from corn sourced locally from the region and water from the Dhansiri, a tributary of Brahmaputra, and filtered through bamboo charcoal.
Bottled without the use of any additives, colours, flavours or blends, the journey for the perfect liquid gold begins right here.
Established in 2001 in the town of Khatkhati in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district and along the border with Nagaland—about 280 km from Guwahati—Radiant Manufacturers made its foray into premium whiskey in 2013, when it launched the Castle Hill Rare Reserve whiskey. The magic behind the make was master blender and distiller John Mc Doughall from Scotland, who blended the grain spirits sourced from their own distillery perfectly with the choicest scotch malts from Scotland.
Radiant’s journey of whiskey exploration continued with the setting up of a maturation unit on-site in Assam wherein they began maturing fresh malts and their own grain spirits made from broken rice and locally sourced corn. Eventually, the company launched the Castle Hill Dark Knight Small Batch Whiskey (2 years) in 2019, and later, the 4-year small batch whiskey in 2021.
“At present, we have a turnover of Rs 100 crore with about 200 people working for us in the distillery and bottling unit. Growth has been just enough to cover the annual inflation rates. Our bulk of revenue is generated in the distillery and the bottling division with our wines, gin and whiskey portfolio,” says director and CEO Vicky Chand. Apart from whiskey, Radiant’s portfolio includes a range of craft spirits like Lost Treasure Rum, Vinho Porto Wines, and White Magic Tango Gin and Orange.
Each brand has its own distinct features and flavours, reflecting Radiant’s commitment to family, tradition and innovation, and the company’s drive to foster a culture of excellence and creativity in the alcobev industry.
Chand is among a growing tribe of entrepreneurs from the region shaking up the local alco-bev landscape through premium small-batch offerings and product innovations.
Not very far from Guwahati, in one of the rainiest places on earth—Cherrapunji in Meghalaya—Mayukh Hazarika is brewing a refreshing change in the alco-bev industry where he sees sustainability in manufacturing as a key driver for success.
His Cherrapunji Eastern Craft Gin— made with botanicals native to northeast India, rainwater harvested in Cherrapunji, one of the rainiest places on Earth, and packed in a stainless steel bottle— has already made its presence felt on the global stage with seven major awards in nine months of its launch.
“I’ve spent my career building brands from India and have always believed in the power of sustainability as a key driver for success in the alco-bev industry. With Cherrapunji Eastern Craft Gin, I wanted to create a product that not only reflected the unique flavours of my region but also addressed the pressing issue of water scarcity,” says Hazarika, referring to the irony in the area—despite receiving over 22,000 mm of rain annually, the region faces severe water shortage during dry months. Residents often have to trek long distances for access to fresh water, and even then, the water is frequently unsafe for consumption.
Raincheck Earth Co, the parent company of Cherrapunji Eastern Craft Gin, is a funded startup with presence in three northeastern states and exports to the European Union. “We are now launching in select markets of north India. We have built a capacity of 22,000 cases per year as we are expanding to various regions and for exports,” says Hazarika, who feels homegrown brands spirits are growing as there is steady demand for the category.
“As the category expands, the focus should be on creating world-class products from India. Additionally, there is a need for a joint policy-level push from all states for manufacturing and tax rebates to promote premium Indian spirit brands,” he adds.
Agrees Chand of Radiant Manufacturers. “India’s liquor market is highly fragmented, with each state having its own pricing, manufacturing, and distribution policies. This makes it challenging to operate across multiple states,” he explains.
“Ideally, a one-nation-one-tax model would have allowed every independent craft spirits manufacturer to exponentially expand their reach. Till the time excise is a state-to-state matter with different policies and ever-changing landscapes it is quite difficult for brands like ours to expand optimally,” he adds.
Chand, however, says northeast India has a great advantage as it is a trendy place, quite similar to Goa, where brands want to be present given that the consumers have developed tastes and aesthetics. “Currently, our focus is on northeast India. We are in discussions with industry experts and consultants to enhance our market presence and visibility, but this process will require time and patience. As a ‘glocal’ company, we aim to think globally while acting locally, tailoring our approach to meet the needs of our regional consumers,” he adds.
Meanwhile, there are many other startups that are making a mark in the region’s growing alcobev landscape. While Arunachal Pradesh’s Naara-Aaba is involved in producing India’s first organic kiwi wine, Assam-based Xaj is taking the traditional rice wine—widely consumed in the region—to the next level. Similarly, Tsuipu Heritage Beverages blends wild fruits that grow in the hills of Nagaland with honey to make some lovely meads.
(The author was in Guwahati at the invitation of Radiant Manufacturers)
