u/CuriousFoodie_MH

#Ideavalidation

India has the most layered flavour culture in the world. Drinks that aren't just refreshing but functional, seasonal, and tied to something visceral and real.

And yet when it comes to premium alcohol, we've completely surrendered that identity. We drink imported botanicals, European bitters, peated scotch. Our own flavours stayed in the kitchen.

Jägermeister is a herbal digestif that does ₹800 crore in India annually. We have an entire system of functional herbs, and nobody has made the Indian equivalent or something on similar lines

I'm exploring whether there's a real market gap here: a premium craft alcoholic drink that is unmistakably, unapologetically Indian. Not fusion. Not cocktail mixer. Something that stands alone.

Two things I'd love your honest take on:

• Does this feel like a genuine gap to you, or is it a niche that won't cross over to mainstream?
• Would you buy it, or recommend it to someone? What would need to be true for that?

Your feedback will help us decide if our idea turns into reality.

We grew up on the seasonal magic of aam panna, kokum, jaljeera, thandai, and kanji, flavors that weren't just cooling, but functional, visceral, and deeply tied to memory. India has always possessed an incredible liquid culture. Yet, somewhere along the way, when it came to premium alcohol, we surrendered that identity to imported palates. We traded our native botanicals for peated scotch, botanical gins, oak-aged wines, and European herbal bitters. Our own flavors stayed confined to the kitchen, while the glass became someone else’s territory.

Nobody has really made something that feels unmistakably Indian in the same way.

A few things I'm curious about from people here:

1. Which traditional Indian drink holds the strongest memory for you, and would you want it in an adult, premium alcoholic version?
2. Jägermeister is basically a European herbal digestif. Would you drink an Indian equivalent made with Ayurvedic herbs like trikatu, tulsi, ashwagandha for example? Or does that sound gimmicky to you?
3. If our traditional, nostalgic Indian flavours like aam panna or thandai showed up as a proper premium,alcoholic drink, not a cocktail mixer, but something crafted and standalone, is that something you'd actually pick up?
4. How open are you to a drink that combines alcohol with functional herbs or Ayurvedic ingredients? Genuinely intriguing or a stretch too far?
5. If a premium alcoholic beverage claimed to support digestion, immunity, or energy, would that influence your purchase?
6. Small format drinks (100–150ml, like a shot or tonic) versus a full bottle, which feels more right for something herb-forward and Indian?
7. What would make you actually recommend a new Indian craft drink to a friend?

Trying to understand if there's a gap here or if I'm imagining one.

Genuine question: been thinking about this a lot lately.

We grew up on the seasonal magic of aam panna, kokum, jaljeera, thandai, and kanji, flavors that weren't just cooling, but functional, visceral, and deeply tied to memory. India has always possessed an incredible liquid culture. Yet, somewhere along the way, when it came to premium alcohol, we surrendered that identity to imported palates. We traded our native botanicals for peated scotch, botanical gins, oak-aged wines, and European herbal bitters. Our own flavors stayed confined to the kitchen, while the glass became someone else’s territory.

Nobody has really made something that feels unmistakably Indian in the same way.

A few things I'm curious about from people here:

1. Which traditional Indian drink holds the strongest memory for you, and would you want it in an adult, premium alcoholic version?

2. Jägermeister is basically a European herbal digestif. Would you drink an Indian equivalent made with Ayurvedic herbs like trikatu, tulsi, ashwagandha for example? Or does that sound gimmicky to you?

3. If our traditional, nostalgic Indian flavours like aam panna or thandai showed up as a proper premium,alcoholic drink, not a cocktail mixer, but something crafted and standalone, is that something you'd actually pick up?

4. How open are you to a drink that combines alcohol with functional herbs or Ayurvedic ingredients? Genuinely intriguing or a stretch too far?

5. If a premium alcoholic beverage claimed to support digestion, immunity, or energy, would that influence your purchase?

6. Small format drinks (100–150ml, like a shot or tonic) versus a full bottle, which feels more right for something herb-forward and Indian?

7. What would make you actually recommend a new Indian craft drink to a friend?

Not pitching anything. Just genuinely trying to understand if there's a gap here or if I'm imagining one.