Lalit Kalani comes from a family that has distilled spirits for more than a generation. He did dabble in the family business for a while before going to Wharton for higher studies. He worked with Fortune 100 listed companies in US of A after his management studies.
Food was always his passion. He started a company Bandar Foods in US, which manufactured Indian packaged snacks. The venture sustained for around six to seven years, after which it shut shop. “Indian snacks are best fresh. I love them. I marketed them in packaged form in US to the Indian and American crowd. However, after a few years, it became difficult to sustain along with my job… therefore had to shut shop.”
Lalit’s job brought him to Mumbai. “The company that I was working for sent me to India to set up and head operations here,” Lalit tells. He was stationed in Mumbai and headed sales for Europe and Asia. “It was then that I realised how much I had missed my family and how much I wanted to be with them,” he confesses.
This led to a decision of quitting the job that was about to take him away from Mumbai again with a promotion. What next? “The question did pop up. But the answer was kind of simple. I wanted to do something related to the family business,” Lalit reveals. “I observed that crafted beverages — alcoholic and non-alcoholic – were trending. The demand was quite high. Therefore, entering that market was a logical next step.”
Lalit’s research showed that there was a gap in the Rum market. “There were the low range Old Monk types and there were the super high end ones like Mount Gay, Ten to One. Bacardi was the only one playing in the mid-segment market.”
This research also showed that there were hardly any spiced rums available in the market. “I decided to play in that… and created the Rock Paper Rum last year.” Rock Paper? Lalit laughs and replies, “It is inspired from the game — Rock Paper Scissors! As risky as that!”
Next step for him was the Gin. “Gin is the most consumed crafted beverage in India. Even more than beer,” Lalit shares. “However, we didn’t want to create just another Gin. We did a lot of infusions, flavourings, before we finally got our mix right.”
The current gin offering by Good Barrel Distillery, Lalit’s company, is Soci. The name comes from the mysterious snake of Indian jungles, Soci, something that everyone has heard of but never seen.
“The idea is to offer something unique and young,” says Lalit. “It’s a cold pressed gin with its flavouring botanicals. That ensures that flavours slowly create a dance on your palate when you sip it.”
That it does. The notes of juniper berries, cardamom and coriander, laced with oranges, pepper and cucumber do not come together, but slowly entice you; especiallywhen had on the rocks as a sipping drink.
What does Lalit do when he is not thinking of his next crafted beverage? “Right now, planning my long overdue honeymoon to South Aftrica!” says this ardent traveller who has already visited more than 40 countries.
One regret about being in India? “They don’t make a good Negroni here. One that satisfies me like the ones in NY did!”
