Maharaja Drinks, the Indian drinks retailer renowned for introducing craft Indian beverages to the UK, announces today the launch of its new Indian Heritage Spirits category. The launch features three Feni expressions and a Mahua spirit—each making its UK debut. Both Feni and Mahua are indigenous Indian spirits, with centuries of distilling heritage rooted in the country.
The heritage drinks launch includes:
Cashew Feni and Coconut Feni from Goenchi Feni
OURO De Goa, a spiced Feni from Goa Heritage Distillery
Desmondji Mahua Spirit from DesmondJi (producer of Indian agave spirit, Ayam)
Annabel Jamieson, CEO of Maharaja Drinks, says: “India is home to an extraordinary range of heritage spirits, each rooted in centuries of craftsmanship and storytelling. Today, there’s a growing appetite among consumers and bartenders to explore these authentic native flavours. That’s why the time feels right to introduce four exceptional expressions to the UK for the first time. Feni remains a rare and distinctive presence here, and Mahua is an exciting new discovery, a vibrant, characterful spirit just beginning to make its mark”
Goenchi Feni, a sustainable, family run brand from Goa, was founded by entrepreneurial siblings Yash and Tulika Sawardekar. Their Coconut Feni and Cashew Feni are double-distilled in small batches using traditional 100% copper pot stills, following a closely guarded family recipe that uses a single natural ingredient: either cashew apple or coconut palm sap. ABV 40%
Yash Sawardekar, co-founder of Goenchi Feni, adds: “Feni carries a long and proud heritage from Goa, passed down through generations as a true expression of our land and culture. Despite this richness, it has often been overlooked on the global stage. By opening international markets like the UK, we aim to change that and reintroduce Feni as a spirit worthy of recognition. We believe Maharaja Drinks is the perfect partner on this journey. Their thoughtful and thorough approach to curating India’s finest ensures UK consumers receive authentic Indian spirits conveniently. Through this partnership, we’re excited to see Feni and India shine on a global platform.”
Goa Heritage Distillery, a third generation family business run by Ashok Malkarnekar, is located on a biodiverse farm in Goa, rich with ginger, turmeric, tulsi, cardamom, cashew, and coconut trees. The distillery produces OURO De Goa,, a premium spiced cashew Feni ideal for the festive season. Sun-ripened cashew fruits are carefully selected for quality, with seeds removed before the apples are crushed to extract the juice. The juice undergoes natural wild fermentation with ambient yeasts, giving the spirit its distinctive aroma. Each batch is hand distilled in traditional copper pot stills and matured for at least six months before bottling. ABV 42.8%
Ashok Malkarnekar, partner at Goa Heritage Distillery and founder of OURO De Goa Spiced Cashew Feni, said: “We at OURO de Goa are third generation Feni Distillers, and have been producing our spirit in small batches and to very high standards. Cashew Feni is a world class beverage, which is yet to find its place on global beverage maps. While it’s great as a sipping drink, mixologists and chefs are also discovering the versatility of the spirit. Maharaja Drinks’ focus on Indian Origin Beverages allows good targeting. The UK market has a significant Indian diaspora which already has a liking for Cashew Feni. We feel Maharaja Drinks with their focused approach are an ideal partner to make our feni available to the Indian diaspora in the UK as well as to introduce it to new audiences. We would particularly expect the diaspora to become proud brand ambassadors of their very own Heritage spirits like Feni.”
DesmondJi Mahua is a tribute to India’s heartland. Rooted in centuries of tribal lore and tradition, the Mahua tree is sacred to India’s original tribes and is often referred to as the “tree of life.” Produced at India’s only agave distillery in Andhra Pradesh, this once banned spirit is crafted by collecting the naturally sweet flowers of the Mahua tree, then drying, fermenting, and distilling them in artisanal pot stills. ABV 40%:
Desmond Nazareth, founder of Desmondji Mahua states: “Mahua is a national treasure of India that has been hidden in plain sight. It has an exquisite taste and is the world’s only flower-based spirit. For hundreds of years, tens of millions of indigenous Indians in the Central Indian forest belt have made versions of Mahua. Mahua was pushed into the shadows for mercenary and puritanical reasons. The movement to free Mahua from its chains has begun and I hope Mahua will be anointed as the national heritage spirit of India.”
This new chapter for Maharaja Drinks coincides with the expansion of our Exotica range. We have added India’s first homegrown vermouth, Davana Vermouth, with two expressions, Davana Rosso—a red vermouth with enticing aromas of wormwood and rich red berries—and Davana Blanco, a carefully crafted vermouth made with 21 botanicals, Crafted from a curated infusion of botanicals and premium quality Indian white wine, it delivers an authentically Indian blend designed to enhance the everyday dining experience and pair seamlessly with a wide range of cuisines. Alongside this is Quro, India’s first homegrown liqueur, made with a carefully curated blend of 36 indigenous ingredients, including florals, spices, fruits, and botanicals.
All drinks are exclusive to Maharaja Drinks in the UK.
