London, traditional tribal spirits Mahua and Goan Feni will debut on the UK market this week as part of a new range of traditional Indian spirits.
Maharaja Drinks, a retailer focused on bringing Indian craft drinks to the UK, has launched three Feni products and a Mahua spirit to celebrate indigenous spirits with roots in India and centuries of distilling history.
The specialty retailer is committed to organic certification, sustainable production methods and eco-friendly manufacturing, packaging and shipping of Indian spirits.
Annabel Jamieson, CEO of Maharaja Drinks, said: “India has a remarkable range of traditional spirits, each rooted in centuries of craftsmanship and storytelling.”
“Today, consumers and bartenders are increasingly interested in exploring these authentic, local flavours. That’s why now is the time to introduce four special expressions to the UK for the first time,” she said.
The company’s new range of products includes Cashew Feni and Coconut Feni from Goenchi Feni, spice Feni called OURO De Goa from Goa Heritage Distillery and Desmondji Mahua Spirit from DesmondJi, Andhra Pradesh.
Jamieson added: “Finney remains a rare and unique presence here, while MCA is an exciting new discovery, with a vibrant, distinctive spirit just beginning to emerge.”
Goenchi Feni is a family-run brand from Goa, founded by siblings Yash and Tulika Sawardekar, who double distill Feni in small batches using traditional 100% copper pot stills. They claim to follow “a closely guarded family recipe” using a single natural ingredient: cashew apple or coconut tree sap.
Yash Sawardekar, co-founder of Goenchi Feni, said: “Feni has a long and proud tradition from Goa, passed down from generation to generation, and is a true reflection of our land and culture.”
“Despite its richness, it is often overlooked on the global stage. By opening up international markets such as the UK, we aim to change this and reintroduce Feni as a spirit worthy of recognition,” he said.
Goa Heritage Distillery is a third-generation family business run by Ashok Malkarnekar and is located on a biodiverse farm in Goa, rich in ginger, turmeric, tulsi, cardamom, cashew and coconut trees.
The distillery produces OURO De Goa, a premium spiced cashew Feni that is perfect for the festive season and Maharaja Drinks believes it will be the perfect addition to the UK’s Christmas spirits offering.
Malkarnekar said: “There is a large Indian diaspora in the UK market who already enjoy Cashew Feni. We feel that Maharaja Drinks, with its focused approach, is the ideal partner to offer our Feni to the Indian diaspora in the UK and introduce it to a new audience.”
“We particularly want the diaspora to be proud brand ambassadors of their own traditional spirits such as Fenni,” he said.
DesmondJi Mahua is described as a tribute to the heartland, rooted in centuries of tribal lore and tradition. The Mahua tree, often called the “Tree of Life,” is behind this once-forbidden spirit.
Now produced at the country’s only agave distillery in Andhra Pradesh, the spirit is refined by collecting the naturally sweet flowers of the mahua tree, then drying, fermenting and distilling them in handcrafted pot stills.
Desmondji Mahua founder Desmondji Mahua said: “Mahua is a national treasure of India that has always been hidden in plain sight. It has a delicate taste and is the only flower-based spirit in the world.”
“For hundreds of years, tens of millions of indigenous Indians in the central forest belt of India have made different versions of mahua. Due to mercenary and puritanical reasons, mahua has been pushed into the shadows. The movement to free mahua from its chains has begun and I hope mahua will be designated as the national heritage spirit of India,” he said.
Maharaja Drinks said the launch of these traditional drinks this month coincides with the expansion of its Exotica range into the UK market.
This resulted in Davana Vermouth, India’s first indigenous vermouth, made from 21 botanicals, and Quro, India’s first indigenous liqueur, carefully blended from 36 indigenous ingredients including florals, spices, fruits and botanicals.
The passion project of father and son duo Ipe and Adam Jacob, Maharaja Drinks launched almost two years ago as an online retailer for the UK market, offering a unique range of carefully selected high quality Indian wines, beers and spirits. It also offers excellent Indian coffee and tea, from earthy green tea to floral black tea.
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
