While sipping what she calls “a really good rum” during the lockdown, Delhi-based Karishma Manga Bedi and her husband Samrath Bedi came to the unfortunate conclusion that there was no rum from India in the prestige segment that managed to make its mark. Karishma, with a background in branding and luxury goods, turned that observation into a business plan.
These Good Distillers’ premium dark sipping rum Idaaya was launched in early June this year. It has already managed to shake things up by winning some prestigious awards, including Double Gold at the International SIP Awards 2024, Silver Award for Rums Made in Asia at The Asian Spirit Master 2024 headed by The Spirits Business and Bronze at the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2024 in the aged category. “The amazing response the wine has received has been reaffirming to us and our belief in what we are doing,” says the 40-year-old founder and “Chief Everything” executive.
Idaa Rum Sip Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Indian rum market is booming, estimated to reach $3.5 billion by 2031, Straits Research reports. “Rum is undergoing a global renaissance,” says Karishma. “After gin and tequila, rum is poised for significant growth. This brand will differentiate those focused on building a legacy from those just chasing numbers. Our focus is on both brand and legacy.”
to mix
Master blender Christopher Arms (UK)’s vision for Karishma was a premium rum that epitomized modern, sophisticated India. “I wanted a balanced fluidity, neither overly masculine nor feminine, while avoiding excessive smoke or sweetness,” she explains.
Together, they sampled more than 60 different rums from around the world before focusing on one from Panama, Latin America. “Our rum is made using this exceptional 12-year-old rum, which is then blended with Indian rum and married using the solera process – where part of the liquid from the original batch is kept in casks to allow continuity in the flavor profile before bottling. We use age-old Indian processes such as dhoopan (smoking) and lapam (anointment) in the casks to ensure that they are cleaned and aged before introducing the liquid. This process, like other Scotch casks, imparts a complex flavor and profile to the liquid, with a lot of nuance to the process that is evident in the final flavor of the rum,” says Christopher.
Karishma Manga Bedi, Founder and Chief Everything Officer | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The use of snow-covered Himalayan water, known for its purity, mixed with rum in sal wood casks using the solera system – a practice native to the Himalayan region of India, contributes to the smooth and well-rounded character of the rum and also gives it its name which means mystical energy of the Himalayas. On the nose, it reveals notes of molasses, vanilla and all-spice and at the first sip, slowly uncovers caramel notes, followed by delicious notes of dark chocolate, molasses, tropical fruits, dried fruits, all-spice toasted vanilla and oak.
Himalayan influence
Manufactured and bottled at their distillery in Jammu, the amber liquid is housed in a heavy-bottomed glass bottle with an engraving of the Himalayan mountain range around it. The cap and letters are in copper and the earlier design is inspired by a compass. “Our tagline is ‘Keep Seeking’, which means there should always be room for exploration and curiosity, that has been the journey of this product for us,” says Karishma.
Currently available duty-free at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru airports, with Kochi and Hyderabad soon to follow, they plan to introduce the liquid in the Indian market as well as the United Kingdom in the next few months.
A 750 ml bottle of Idaaya Rum is priced at ₹7,500-11,700 depending on excise duty and other regulations.
