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In Landmark Change – Tamil Nadu Govt allows serving alcohol at Stadiums, Conferences, Events & Celebrations

The Tamil Nadu DMK government has issued a notification dated March 18, 2023 amending the Tamil Nadu Liquor (Licence and Permit) Rules of 1981 to allow the serving of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and Imported Foreign Liquor to guests, visitors and participants, at international and national summits and events like conferences, celebrations and festivals.

According to the amendment, a special licence would be granted annually by the Deputy Commissioner or Assistant Commissioner of the Excise Department to supply liquor in commercial premises like conference halls, convention centres, marriage halls, banquet halls, and sports stadiums. However, on April 24th, 2023 the Tamil Nadu government amended and removed marriage halls and banquet halls from the list of commercial premises where liquor was allowed to be supplied.

As per the amendment, the special license for possession and supply of liquor can be obtained by paying an annual registration fee of Rs. One lakh in corporation limits, Rs. 75,000 in municipality limits and Rs. 50,000 in other places. Subsequently, the fee per day for issue of permit for conducting one event, whenever conducted, is Rs. 11,000 in corporation limits, Rs. 7,500 in municipalities and Rs. 5,000 in other places respectively.

The amendment also said that special license for one time possession and supply of liquor in non-commercial premises during conduct of household celebrations, functions, parties etc is Rs. 11,000, Rs. 7,500 and Rs. 5,000 in corporations, municipalities and other places respectively.

The new rules state that the licensee shall obtain supplies from the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) wholesale depot nearest to the place of events or from such other source as the Deputy Commissioner / Assistant Commissioner (Excise) may appoint or approve, subject to such conditions as he or she may stipulate and as per the quantity of the supplies approved by them. All such applications have to be made online, prior to seven working days from the date of conduct of the event to the Deputy Commissioner / Assistant Commissioner (Excise) in the districts in Form F.A.1.14, along with a copy of the challan of the fee remitted. Then these designated officers will grant a license in Form FL-12 with prior approval of the District Collector.

The issue of liquor under FL-12 special license may be in pegs / bottles for consumption, the Amendment said.

As per the amendment, the licensee has to transport the liquor after obtaining the transport permit in form FTP . 1 from the Deputy Commissioner / Assistant Commissioner (Excise) of the concerned district. The transport from the source of supply to the licensed premises shall be in accordance with the provisions of these rules. However, the amendment does not mention any fee for obtaining transport permit.

Further it said that a no-objection certificate from the Commissioner of Police, for events held within corporation limits and from the Superintendent of Police for events held in districts, should be obtained.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise V Senthil Balaji announced in the Tamil Nadu Assembly that the government would be deciding on the closure of 500 liquor shops across the state within this year. He mentioned that 96 shops run by TASMAC had violated norms. There are 5,329 retail liquor shops run by TASMAC.

“We are following the norms that other states are following. The IPL management had sought permission to serve liquor in the stadiums during the matches. Considering such international sports and events, we have decided to grant permission,” the minister said.

Opposition Condemns Move

Opposition parties condemned the move of allowing special liquor permits. The Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President K Annamalai said in a statement that this was an effort to increase the income of distilleries run by DMK leaders. “The DMK came to power by giving assurances that it would close liquor factories and retail shops, but Tasmac is trying to boost the sale of liquor each year by fixing a ceiling limit without bothering about the people. This move will lead to social disorder.”

Around the same time, the Pattali Makkal Katchi filed a public interest litigation at the Madras High Court and the spokesman of the party, Advocate K Balu, termed the move “highly condemnable”. He said the G.O. amending Tamil Nadu Liquor (Licence and Permit) Rules 1981 is illegal, unjust and against the public interest.

“The FL 12 special licence for serving liquor at conference halls, convention centres, marriage halls, banquet halls and sports stadium is contrary to the 2017 guidelines issued by Supreme Court to protect the life of citizens under Article 21 of the Constitution,” he said. Serving liquor in public event venues would cause nuisance to the public and deprive them of their right to peaceful life, the petition said.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami tweeted “The same DMK government, which says prohibition is the only goal, has kept liquor shops open for 12 hours. Now, it has allowed liquor in marriage halls and sports stadiums.”

DMK’s allies, MDMK general secretary Vaiko and CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan also urged the government to abandon the move. Other parties, including PMK, TMC(M), AMMK and VK Sasikala have condemned the notification.

Taylors Wines foray into Indian market

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Taylors Wines (known as Wakefield Wine) has entered Indian market through one of the leading Indian importers – Ace Beveragez Private Limited.

Promised Land Shiraz and Chardonnay are launched in India by Rikshit Parsan, Director, Ace Beveragez Pvt Ltd; Jay Meek, General Manager, Trade, Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), Adelaide; Pratik Angre, Business Development Manager, Ace Beveragez; Catherine Gallagher, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, Austrade, New Delhi; John Southwell, Trade and Investment Commissioner, Austrade, Mumbai; Peter Truswell, Australian Consul General in Mumbai and Bhavin Kadakia, Director – Business Development, Austrade, Mumbai. This is the first Australian wine in the portfolio of Ace Beveragez Private Limited.

Taylors Wines is a family-owned winery established in 1969, which is in the Clare Valley of South Australia. After over fifty years in business, spanning three generations, the Taylor family has been making wines under the Wakefield Taylors Family Wines name – a winery known around the world for crafting powerfully elegant wines of regional distinction and character.

The Taylor family’s wine-making philosophy is built on the idea of “respect the fruit” meaning, quite simply, that the essence of great wine comes from great fruit. To achieve this, every decision the family makes (referred to within the company as the ‘Taylors Way’) – from the planting of vineyards to what viticulture practices they employ, harvesting, crafting and the investments they make in barrels and ideal storage – even to how we drink the wine – is underpinned by this philosophy.

In 2017 Wakefield Wines was announced as The World’s Most Awarded Winery by the World Association of Wine Writers and Journalists (WAWWJ) in a global ranking of more than 50,000 producers.

Why the name Promised Land: The name comes from one of the those classic over the fence chats that neighbours have. His neighbour to the east had a beautiful patch of land with gentle rolling hills and soils perfect for grape growing. Bill Taylors, Co-Founder and Company Director, Taylors Wines went to visit him and struck a deal that he’d be the one to purchase the land should he ever decide to sell it. Well, it was almost twenty years later but Bill is nothing but tenacious.

The neighbour kept promised and that section of the estate became forever known as “The Promised Land”.

Delhi extends Old Excise Policy by 6 Months

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The Kejriwal led Delhi Government made an announcement today that the old excise policy for Delhi is being extended for further six months. In the interim the government is working on the new excise policy that has been in the news in recent times, following the recommendations made by LG VK Saxena after the CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in its implementation.

The extension also marks as a blow to the Delhi private players who were looking to keep their shops open having invested heavily in procuring licenses. For the consumer this also means that the offers made by private players have also disappeared since the old policy uses government-run liquor vendors.

The former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi was recently arrested alleging the irregularities in the new policy, which was believed to be favouring certain players. The ED in their case also stated that kickbacks were provided by the players to the government, which lead to the dismissal of 11 excise officials as well following the probe.

It is believed that Delhi was looking to compete with Haryana with its new policy offering lucrative discounts to the consumers, who often prefer liquor shops in Gurugram, since they offer massive discounts as opposed to most states in India.

CaSa de Spirits launches Fentiro in Goa

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CaSa de Spirits Pvt. Ltd, launches its first ever range of spirits under the ‘Fentiro’ brand on December 1st, 2022 in Goa.

Its initial launch in Goa will see its two variants of party shots – “Fentiro Dusk” and “Fentiro Dawn”. They are the newest and coolest entrant to the party shots category. Fentiro Dusk unleashes the wilder side along with the setting of the Sun and Fentiro Dawn is just the perfect shot as the first light of the rising sun appears in the dawn sky.

Fentiro prides itself as a lifestyle brand, whose priority is to bring exceptional quality, priced competitively, that appeals to the tastes and preferences world over.

CaSa de Spirits Pvt Ltd. is founded by former Divtone Group Country Manager & former WWE Director, Marketing – Carl Sequeira along with founder of Go Fish Entertainment, Sajay Moolankodan. Both industry veterans have rich industry experience, throughout their career of 20+ years of marketing some of India’s largest consumer and alcobev brands. The founders have also brought on board alcobev stalwarts, Shatbhi Basu and Binaisha Sundaram. Together these industry stalwarts bring their 60+ years of combined alcobev industry experience to this new venture.

Shatbhi Basu, celebrated mixologist and founder of STIR academy, who has been honoured by the President of India, for being India’s first female bartender, has spent her career working closely with trade and consumers to educate them on the art and science of mixology. She will drive product research and development for the brand. Binaisha Sundaram, who was part of the team that recently launched Copter 7, has also been associated with the launch of various other leading alcobev brands in India, will drive sales and business development for CaSa de Spirits

Commenting on the launch of Fentiro, Carl Sequeira, Managing Director said, “We were inspired and motivated by our homeland Goa with its unique culture and wanted to create a product that is truly made in Goa from cashew apple along with our proprietary blend, for the world to enjoy. The party shot category has remained stagnant over the past few years, however with Fentiro, we plan to change that! By establishing a new product range, we intend to upend the entire category and build a lasting impact on the minds of consumers over the years.”

Speaking on the occasion, Sajay Moolankodan, Director said, “Over the years, we’ve noticed that the consumer has started to experiment with new tastes and experiences in the alcobev space. With that in mind, we embarked on creating a product that looked and tasted distinctly unique from others in the same category. Fentiro Dusk and Fentiro Dawn are the perfect shots for your parties from dusk to dawn.

Fentiro Dusk and Fentiro Dawn are available in selective outlets and restaurants in Goa, so when in Goa – “Party with Fentiro!”.

ABD launches Jolly Roger Rum in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan

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Allied Blenders and Distillers Limited, the largest Indian spirits company has extended its deluxe rum Jolly Roger to Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Jolly Roger offers an exceptional rum with matured special spirits.

The communication of Jolly Roger is reflective of the young audience who value the company of good friends with a great rum. Jolly Roger Rum is available in 750ml, 375ml. and 180ml. sizes.

Commenting on the launch Bikram Basu, Vice-President- Strategy, Marketing and Business Development, ABD said, “We are excited to extend the franchise of Jolly Roger to the markets of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Winter gets out the woollens, bonfires, barbeque and more of a great rum in Jolly Roger with friends.”

Bira launches Hill Station Cider Ales

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• Under ‘House of Bira 91’, the brand plans to experiment with fast growing premium beverage categories in India

• The ‘Hill Station Hard Cider Ale’ portfolio includes three variants and will be available across the country, starting with Bengaluru

Just in time for the new year celebrations, Bira 91, the world’s fastest-growing premium beer company, announced its foray into beyond beers with the launch of Hill Station, a category of Hard Cider Ales. The launch is part of the company’s move to bring new categories beyond beers, in congruence with the increasing demand for ready-to-drink options and a growing generation of consumers enthusiastic about experimenting with new flavours.

Hill Station Hard Cider Ales will have three flavours of hard ciders in its portfolio – Himalayan Apple Original (5.3% ABV); Himalayan Apple Strong (7.5% ABV); and Himalayan Apple Berry Twist (5.3% ABV). These Hard Cider Ales are made from a blend of the freshest Himalayan apples and mountain barley. Their flavours are dry and mildly sweet with a hint of malt and full flavour of orchard-fresh apples. The Himalayan Apple ciders are natural and crisp, that makes them perfect for all seasons and are best enjoyed over ice.

First major cider brand

Speaking on the launch, Ankur Jain, CEO, of Bira 91, said, “Over the last few years, the preferences of young Indian consumers have shifted drastically, and they are now keen on exploring newer categories, including ciders. With Hill Station Hard Cider Ales, we aim to become the first major cider brand in the country and expand the category for this beverage. Ciders help us become a part of wider occasions that call for celebration as they can be consumed throughout the year and are perfect for afternoons as well as evenings. We are bringing this product just in time for the new year celebrations and we are sure that Hill Station Hard Cider Ales will transport consumers to their summer holidays spent in the hills, bringing back fond memories.”

He further added, “With ‘House of Bira 91’, we are continually looking to explore beverage categories that are growing rapidly and recruit consumers from the larger beverage space. The launch of Hill Station Hard Cider Ales gives us an exciting opportunity to expand Bira 91’s portfolio and pioneer the growth of beverages in the Indian premium segment.” The portfolio of Hill Station Hard Cider Ales will be available in 330ml bottles and cans across Bengaluru, priced at ₹150.

Bira 91 has been bringing flavourful beers on a regular basis, a diverse portfolio of award-winning beers, aiming to drive the global shift in beer towards more colour and flavour. Bira 91 is available in over 550 towns and cities spread across 18 countries and brews its beers across four breweries in India. Bira 91 has its flagship taproom in Bengaluru, where it releases one new experimental beer every week, paired with its curry-shop menu.

KALS launches Asio Vodka

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With the vodka market on the upturn, KALS has launched their new Indian Made Vodka, Asio Vodka in the Tamil Nadu market. The vodka is triple distilled from a blend of different grains and filtered one time through seven columns of environmentally sustainable charcoal for a pure tasting smooth spirit.

The bottle is available in three sizes, that is the standard 750 ml, 375ml and the 180 ml. The ideology behind Asio was unique and KALS wanted to create something that provides a great experience to the consumer. In order to create that experience, they created a story that revolves around India. KALS states that no spirit brand truly embodies the spirit of India – and building this story right was their goal.

The company also hosted curated experiences for the consumers in small batches to sample the product. The taste and experience were then adapted to suit the consumer’s palate, whilst retaining the essence of the brand. KALS says that it has been receiving a great response so far. Currently Asio is available in the TN market and there are plans to make it available pan India soon.

The company is looking to develop more sustainable and lucrative brands moving forward. Together with the Brand Union they’ve embarked on a rebrand strategy to transform their products for the next generation of KALS fans. And the strategy with Asio is also similar to that of the other products, which is to ensure market penetration, increase sales of existing products or services on existing markets, and thus to increase our market share. This combined with market development, product development and diversification are part of the key growth strategies for Asio and KALS.

Pernod Ricard to acquire Código 1530 Ultra Premium and Prestige tequila

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Pernod Ricard recently announced the signing of an agreement for the acquisition of a majority shareholding of Código 1530 Tequila, a range of Ultra-Premium and Prestige tequila. This new investment into the fast-growing agave category, mainly driven by the US market, complements the Group’s very comprehensive portfolio across price points and occasions.

Founded in 2016 by Ron Snyder, Federico Vaughan and George Strait, the story of Código 1530 tequila, produced in the Mexican state of Jalisco, is based on the transmission of an ancestral tequila recipe following Los Códigos, “the codes” in English. Código tequila has positioned itself within a very competitive category, thanks to the unique quality proposition of its range of Ultra-Premium (Blanco, Rosa and Reposado) and Prestige products (Añejo, Barrel Strength Añejo and Origen Extra Añejo).

Código is already available within 50 states across the US and is at the early stage of its international development with a presence in over 30 markets. Thanks to Pernod Ricard’s distribution expertise in ultra-premium & prestige brands and its successful experience in collaborating with entrepreneurs, Código is now poised to accelerate its global development and reach new consumers.

Through this partnership, Pernod Ricard is expanding and diversifying the value proposition of its portfolio of tequila brands, which already includes Olmeca, Altos and Avion. The Group is also adding two new Mezcal references (Código Mezcal Artisanal and Código Mezcal Ancestral) to its market leading Mezcal portfolio built around the Del Maguey and Ojo de Tigre brands. The strengthening of the agave portfolio follows the Group’s recent investment in the sotol category through its acquisition of a minority stake in the ultra-premium Nocheluna brand.

Alexandre Ricard, Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard, said, “Código’s range of exquisite tequilas reinforces our offer of Ultra Premium+ agave products in the US, where the category is enjoying a very strong momentum. It is a privilege to partner with Ron Snyder, Federico Vaughan and George Strait with whom we share a common vision for Código 1530 and common ambition to strongly accelerate and strengthen the success of the brand.”

The House of Suntory Introduces Hibiki Blossom Harmony, a limited-edition blended whisky

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The House of Suntory, the founding House of Japanese Whisky, recently announced the release of Hibiki Blossom Harmony, a limited-edition blend featuring whiskies finished in Sakura casks.

The Sakura Blossom season in early spring has always been an occasion for celebration in Japan, with many gathering around the beautiful flowering Sakura trees that inspire the Japanese to appreciate life as it blooms. Hibiki Blossom Harmony captures this joyful spirit by blending a rare selection of whiskies finished in Sakura wood casks with diverse matured malt and grain whiskies to create this particular Hibiki.

This limited-edition bottle will be available beginning in October in select global markets including in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Spain, Austria, United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The expression is bottled at 43% ABV and has a suggested retail price of $160 USD.

Hibiki is a harmonious blend of various malt and grain whiskies from Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries. Constantly pushing the boundaries of what Japanese Whisky can be, the House of Suntory continues to explore and experiment with various wood types. The Sakura cask was one that intrigued Fifth Generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo.

“I have been mesmerised by the Sakura cask for the last five years now due to its symbolism, but also because of its distinctive, subtly floral and spicy aroma and flavour notes,” says Fukuyo. “There have been many experiments with malt and grain whisky components, and we found that there was a special alchemy between the grain whiskies and the Sakura cask. It is this special relationship – harmony – that inspired me to create this blend.”

Achieving the right balance and orchestration proved to be a great challenge from the start since the Sakura cask is one with strong character that can easily become overbearing. After a period of trial and error, Fukuyo found that the grain whiskies finished in the Sakura cask best elevated the overall balance, and the end result is a particularly distinctive expression of Hibiki. It begins with an enticing floral bouquet, followed by the signature Hibiki depth and complexity of honey, candied orange peel, jasmine and chocolatey decadence. The finish features surprising bittersweet spicy notes.

Meaning “Resonance” in Japanese, Hibiki embodies the Suntory philosophy ‘To Create Harmony with People and Nature’. As a House of Master Blenders, the House of Suntory has gone to great lengths to explore the breadth and depth of what Harmony can mean for a blend. Hibiki Blossom Harmony celebrates a particular kind of Harmony.

Diageo acquires premium cold brew coffee liqueur, Mr Black

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Diageo recently announced that it has acquired Mr Black, the Australian premium cold brew coffee liqueur. Mr Black was launched in 2013, by designer Tom Baker and award-winning distiller, Philip Moore, with the vision of bringing the global coffee culture to the world of spirits and cocktails. Mr Black has grown to become the leading premium-priced coffee liqueur in the United States, applying modern coffee brewing techniques and quality sourcing to reinvigorate coffee cocktail culture and consumers’ desire for premium coffee cocktails, such as the espresso martini and coffee old fashioned.

Over the last five years, Mr Black has been the fastest growing brand in the global coffee liqueur category. Now available in 22 countries, the brand appeals to craft cocktail lovers and consumers seeking delicious tasting cocktails in bars and restaurants, and for indulgent, at-home occasions. Mr Black sources and roasts coffee to its own bespoke specification, creating the premium liqueur with a delicious and rich coffee taste.

In 2015, Diageo acquired a minority stake in Mr Black through Distill Ventures, the Diageo-backed accelerator programme. Distill Ventures receives funding from Diageo and works with the company to support entrepreneurs as they launch and grow innovative drinks brands.

Co-founder, Tom Baker, will remain actively involved with the brand, working with the Diageo team to build on Mr Black’s success.

Claudia Schubert, President, U.S. Spirits and Canada, Diageo said, “With its award-winning liquid, eye-catching design and packaging, and ability to thrive in culture, we believe Mr Black is just getting started in the dynamic coffee liqueur segment. This acquisition is in line with our strategy to acquire high growth brands in exciting categories, and we are delighted to welcome Mr Black into our portfolio.”

Tom Baker, Co-founder of Mr Black said, “Coffee is more than just a drink – it’s a culture, ritual, obsession, aesthetic, experience, tradition and a community.