A decade ago, a wave led to a gin revolution, where homegrown tipples overflowed from bar menus. Tequila, and more recently, agave, have become the choice of spirit. “From a Mumbai perspective, quite like the rest of the country, tequila definitely stands out,” Vikram Achanta, co-founder of 30 Best Bars India that ranks cocktail and drinking establishments in India.

An extract from the annual survey report by 30 Best Bars titled What India Is Drinking: ‘The agave spirit category in India has grown at a volume CAGR of 7 per cent from 2021 to 2026, driven by the expanding cocktail culture. Picante is the most popular cocktail in the country. Savoury profiles are winning, with tequila and mezcal finding their way into classic and experimental serves. Margaritas are coming back too.’