India’s premium beverage market is entering a new phase, with flavour emerging as a key driver of consumer choice as brands experiment with bold botanicals, unusual ingredient combinations and limited-edition releases.
The shift marks a change from a category once dominated by familiar labels and established taste profiles. Today’s consumers are increasingly looking beyond the bottle, seeking products that offer craftsmanship, authenticity and a sense of discovery.
For brands, that is turning flavour from a product attribute into a tool for differentiation and storytelling.
Varun Jain, founder of Smoke Lab, said consumers are becoming more receptive to unconventional taste profiles, giving brands greater scope to experiment with seasonal expressions and limited-edition products.
The focus, however, is moving beyond novelty. Brands are increasingly using flavour innovation to add new dimensions to established products while retaining their core character.
This approach is particularly visible in gin, where the wide variety of botanicals offers significant room for experimentation. Sanya Jain, co-founder of Mohulo Gin, said consumers are paying closer attention to ingredients, provenance and the craftsmanship behind premium spirits.
For Indian brands, the country’s botanical diversity is also creating an opportunity to develop flavours that combine local identity with contemporary drinking preferences.
Consumers are buying experiences, not just drinks
The growing appetite for experimentation reflects a broader change in how premium beverages are consumed. Greater exposure to international food and drink cultures has made consumers more informed and willing to explore unfamiliar products.
Mokksh Sani, co-founder of Cartel Bros., said consumers are increasingly choosing beverages based on the experience they offer rather than familiarity alone.
That shift is encouraging brands across whisky, vodka, gin and other contemporary spirits to rethink how they build consumer connections. Products such as The Glenwalk, The GlenJourneys and Shelter6 are being developed around distinctive flavour profiles designed to be memorable without depending on unusual ingredients simply for attention.
Storytelling becomes part of the product
As the premium segment matures, consumers are increasingly interested in what sits behind the final pour. Ingredient sourcing, production methods and provenance are becoming important parts of the purchasing decision.
For brands, this means flavour innovation increasingly has to be backed by a credible story. A new botanical, regional ingredient or limited-edition expression can create interest, but its appeal is stronger when consumers understand its purpose and connection to the product.
The result is a premium beverage market where craftsmanship and storytelling are becoming as important as taste itself.
The next phase of premiumisation
India’s premium beverage industry is consequently moving towards a more experience-led model. Rather than simply introducing products at higher price points, brands are attempting to create deeper differentiation through flavour, provenance and innovation.
The challenge will be maintaining a balance between experimentation and authenticity. Consumers may be increasingly curious, but novelty alone is unlikely to sustain long-term loyalty.
As the category evolves, the strongest brands are likely to be those that use flavour not merely to stand out on the shelf, but to create products with a distinct identity and a story consumers want to revisit.