What makes white spirits tick?

White spirits have fired the imagination of the young and upwardly mobile Indians during the recent years. While India has long been considered a hub for brown spirits but in keeping with global trends over the last few years, gin, vodka, rum and tequila are fast gaining popularity.

Gin and vodka are witnessing an unprecedented surge and in India white spirits are reported to be growing faster than the brown spirits category, at 12.5 percent a year. It is estimated that the market size for white spirits by volume is expected to reach more than 3 million cases in India, by 2022-23. Fueling this growth is tier-I cities.

Among those driving this growth story are women who prefer vodka because they consider it more of a gender-neutral spirit. Industry insiders ascribe the growing love for white spirits to the change in drinking pattern among the health conscious and the desire to have new experiences, and also the increasing disposable income and influence of social media.

The role of mixologists and bartenders cannot also be discounted in the growing demand for white spirits in India since they love to prepare cocktails based on white spirits. The fact that more and more young and urbane Indians are no longer drinking to get high but instead are looking for a more enriching and nuanced experience through their exposure with alcoholic beverages is also contributing to the growth of white spirits in our country.

The last couple of years have seen a number of premium Indian vodka and gin brands being launched. Some brands have introduced never seen flavours and characters in their products, which has been highly appreciated by the millennials.

White spirits are really shining bright!