Michael D’Souza and Paul John exploring the process of whisky-making.
Edstead's Toast to Tomorrow, released on 10 October 2026, is a toast to India's beverage industry and to the space where hospitality meets today's culture. It's a travel and lifestyle series about people, craft, excitement and legacy, and a voice for an industry that rarely gets to tell its own story. The series features Paul John Indian Single Malt and Buffalo Trace Distillery, following their stories through the people who make the spirits and the places they come from.
Hospitality expert Srishti Khanna, who has held a seat in this industry for more than two decades, hosts the series to understand what hospitality truly means today and how food, beverage and culture have shaped it. She is joined by Varun, a social creator and cocktail enthusiast. The journey takes viewers through Goa, Scotland, Darjeeling and Kentucky, looking at what goes into making a spirit and how it becomes an integral part of the food and hospitality culture around it.
Shekhar Bhattacharjee, Founder, Edstead, said, "Stories around the spirits industry have often been reduced to the product itself or to conversations around consumption and regulation. We saw an opportunity to tell a more nuanced story, one that looks at the craft, people, culture and communities that exist around the category. With Toast to Tomorrow, the brand becomes an enabler of the story rather than its centre, allowing us to create something that is engaging, culturally relevant and ultimately a nod to the experiences that bring people together,"
In the Paul John story, Chairman Paul P John and Master Distiller Michael D'Souza share their experiences of making Indian single malt. The series visits Goa and follows the founder's journey to Scotland. It also looks at how Goa's tropical climate influences the whisky made there.
Paul P John, Chairman, John Distilleries Pvt Ltd, said, "At Paul John Whisky we believe that Indian single malts have a distinctive story to share. âToast to Tomorrow' brings our story to audiences, celebrating the craft and culture that places Indian malts in a niche of its own on the global stage."
At Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, the focus shifts to bourbon's origins and the work behind its production. Srishti then explores how Indian spices, flavours and food traditions can be brought into bourbon cocktails.
Diego Bianchi, VP Global Marketing, Sazerac, said, "Bourbon has always been about place, patience and craft, values that carry Buffalo Trace's legacy from Kentucky to every new market we enter. What draws us to Toast to Tomorrow is how it traces that same journey into India, exploring how bourbon meets the country's diverse spices, flavours and food traditions to create new cocktails and experiences for consumers. Bridging American heritage with India's evolving palate is exactly the kind of storytelling and local relevance that moves the conversation beyond the product itself. We're glad to be part of a series that captures where the Indian spirits and cocktail culture
are headed,"
Watch Toast to Tomorrow, streaming now on JioHotstar.
Watch the trailer on Instagram
We asked Avantika: What are you raising a glass to tomorrow?
About Edstead
Edstead is a purpose-first creative studio producing documentaries, series and branded stories. It works across sectors including education, fintech, fashion and health, drawing on insight, culture and emotion to tell stories about brands and the communities they serve.
