Luxebook December 2021

India doesn’t permit equity crowdfunding so they set their sights abroad and chose the USA to set up Mahua to The World Inc. The newly formed company will raise equity and be a sales and marketing organization that essentially sources premium quality mahua spirit from the Indian company [Agave India]. They’ve finalised a crowdfunding platform and aspire to raise $5 million for 30% equity in MTTW Inc. They want to target the Indian diaspora, in particular, to help fund and popularise the spirit.“They haven’t had an intrinsically Indian alcohol (and not co-opted from another country) that they can take and showcase as part of their heritage,” adds Braganza. MTTW Inc will sell a newly- branded mahua, under a new name, in new bottles, and with a different label. The drink will be a premium 100% mahua product: distilled with only yeast and water. Once funded, they will seek out distributors to get their bottles in stores, retailed online and sold in hotels, restaurants and bars in the United Kingdom. “UK has a history with India and our story intersects with this history. There are a lot of establishments run by people of Indian origin who might want to use something with heritage, a craft product,” says Nazareth. In terms of global sales and marketing, they want to focus on provenance. “The forest story will be a big part of the branding. We are taking something that is important to indigenous people and showcasing it as a potential national heritage spirit of India,” says Nazareth. Interestingly, for a country with a rich alcoholic tradition, India lacks a national spirit, something on the lines of Mexico’s tequila and Scottish whisky. Mahua makes a compelling case for being one. An indigenous spirit “It is indigenous to India and has been distilled by tribals for centuries. The trees only grow in the central Indian forest belt, and, almost nowhere else in the world. Compare this to the raw materials from which other spirits are made, most of which have a global footprint. There is heritage and culture associated with the spirit — many tribal communities have mahua as very central to all the customs and traditions,” says Braganza. Madhuca Longifolia or the Mahua tree features in their festivals, weddings, funerals, celebrations and even in their folklore. Mahua blooms are integral to the livelihood to the central Indian forest tribes. They use it for food and drink, barter it for grain or sell it for cash.In India, mahua is a big, yet unregulated industry: 500 million kilograms of the blooms are collected every year, of which about 95% (approximately) is distilled into alcohol. As a spirit, mahua is versatile, possessing a unique flavour profile: clean, smooth and with delicate floral notes. It has one of the lowest concentrations of methanol, a congener responsible for causing hangovers, for a pot-distilled spirit. The spirit can be sipped or had in a cocktail where it has a lingering aftertaste. The mahua story is one that will definitely appeal to a global audience interested in provenance, culture and history. “The mahua story is much larger and richer than us and what we have done for mahua in India,” says Nazareth. “We want it to have a bigger footprint than it currently does.” RECIPE Mahua Mule Ingredients 50ml Mahua 180ml Ginger ale A slice of orange Ice Method Put ice in a tall glass. Pour in the Mahua. Top the glass with ginger ale. Garnish with a slice of orange. 16| L U X E B O O K | D E C E MB E R 2 0 2 1