Creating a gripping narrative with Short Story

For quite long, rum has been associated with mass appeal and an affordable drink. However, the scenario is changing with consumers demanding premium and even super-premium rums as also white rums that infuses the flavours of other rum-producing nations. Given this scenario, Pankaj Balachandran, Brand Director, Third Eye Distillery, finds it extremely exhilarating to market the Short Story brand that is long on distinctive taste and flavour.                                               

I ndia’s exposure to different styles of rums has slowly started improving in the past few years. With more international brands like Plantation entering the Indian market and an array of rums being produced locally, the near future of rum in India looks interesting. Now, more and more people are asking about Demerara and Agricole rums, which weren’t earlier popular in India. As people travel and get exposure, they are also understanding different styles of rums like English style, Spanish, French style rums, etc. It is this evolving trend that prompted Pankaj Balachandran to put his muscle behind the Short Story White Rum.

Short Story was launched by Third Eye Distillery as a portfolio of three white spirits in October 2022 with Pankaj leading the product as its Brand Director. “Short Story’s portfolio contains a pot-distilled classic London dry gin, a charcoalfiltered grain vodka, and an IndoCaribbean white rum,” informs Pankaj.

It was created with a vision to provide the Indian spirits’ landscape with go-to spirits that are synonymous with quality and dependable across occasions. “Short Story aims to drive the conversation homeward when it comes to creating a benchmark for approachable quality spirits from India. These spirits, as the name suggests, keeps the narrative short and simply deliver on a singular promise of being made the way it should be and taste the way it should,” Pankaj says.

Changing Tastes

India has always been perceived to produce mass spirits despite the business climate of growing premiumisation in India’s alcobev space. There were only a handful of players in the rum market in India who produced and promoted rums the right way while also educating consumers on different ways of enjoying the drink. Thankfully, rum is now undergoing a transformation across the country. While sharing his thoughts about rum market in India, Pankaj asserts, “There are now more players in the market and more styles of rums are coming into India.”

Recognising this potential, Third Eye Distillery has been working hard to make its rum available in all the markets. “Short Story is already present in nine key domestic markets like Goa, Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and more, and this year we plan to spread in more domestic markets. We will be looking at expanding the international presence for our brand too,” informs Pankaj.

Taste of the Short Story

Rum is often categorised by colour — dark, gold and white. A matured form of white rum, Short Story is a blend of Indian, Jamaican, Trinidadian and Dominican flavours. According to Pankaj, with prominent notes of bananas and coconut, the spirit is lively with a balanced mix of spices like vanilla and clove. The Short Story white rum was a bridge between light Spanish style white rums in India and character-driven rums of the Caribbean, helping the consumer to explore different rum styles from a single rum.

 The Edge of Third Eye 

Short Story White Rum is built to be a representation of Caribbean rums. This has been achieved by blending Indian molasses rum with three different rums from that region—High Ester Jamaican rum balanced with a touch of cask-aged Dominican and Trinidadian rums. On the nose, it has tropical grassy notes and a long and complex finish. The minimalist packaging makes it easily distinguishable for a bartender to pick out the bottle on a busy night and the elongated neck has been designed to enable a smoother pour.

“We, at Third Eye Distillery, wanted to offer the Indian spirits landscape with a portfolio of true-to-style essential spirits which set a standard for quality and are an effortless choice, be it at home or a bar,” Pankaj says.

Meanwhile, the company is also engaged in changing the perception of rum being a winter drink. “Rum has long been associated with warmth and winter spices, but it also possesses a fresh and vibrant character that pairs beautifully with seasonal ingredients across the calendar— from tropical fruits in the summer to autumn spices in the fall. By highlighting the rum’s adaptability in cocktails and various flavour profiles, Short Story is shifting the conversation from seasonality to versatility,” he adds.

Evolving Trends

There has been a rise of spiced rums, rum-based RTDs and other innovations that are appealing to Indian consumers. Talking about the future of rum in India, Pankaj says that more players in the market mean more brands talking about rum, which will help increase its popularity. “This will ease the process of more styles of rums coming into India,” he says.

With the rise of disposable incomes, there is a shift toward premium and super-premium options among consumers. People have shown increased interested in brands offering distinct flavours, artisanal craftsmanship and a sense of exclusivity, elevating rum from a simple drink to a lifestyle choice. The shift reflects a more discerning Indian consumer base that values quality, storytelling and unique experiences in their preferred rum brands.