India, Aug. 9 -- Take a shot for each time an Indian liquor brand won some kind of award in the last two years, and you'll be flat on the floor before dessert. Our botanical-infused gins, artisanal single-malts, saffron- spiced vodkas, craft brews and sparkling wines have won medals as far and wide as San Francisco, London, New Zealand, Tokyo and Singapore. Homegrown booze now includes agave, vermouth, limencello, colour-changing gins, even a Konkani version of sake. Mahua, a fermented flower spirit from central India, is enjoying a trendy second life with some new artisanal branding. Goa's cashew feni, in an upmarket avatar, is being served at hip London bars. And every bottle comes with some kind of blue-ribbon cred, as if to say, "Haven't heard of us? Don't worry, you've picked a winner!" Last month, two-year-old Cherrapunji Eastern Craft Gin from Northeast India bagged a double gold at the Spirits International Prestige Awards in California, its 14th international prize. In May, Maya Pistola Agavepura, made from the wild agave americana plant that grows in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, picked up gold and silver at the Asian Spirits Masters. It's haul includes more than 40 awards. Indian whiskies such as Indri and Godawan are collecting prizes like Pokemon cards - each has 50+ medals to its name. Alcohol advertising is restricted in India. So, prizes are a useful way to let one brand stand out from the others. It brings media attention, social media eyeballs and validation among peers. Does a medal actually do much else? Pour yourself a glass of something and read on. We know what it means when a movie wins an Oscar, a Palme d'Or or a National Award. But things aren't as neat in the liquor business. "There are just so many awards," says Vaniitha Jaiin, who has judged the French Concours Mondial de Bruxelles competition for wine. "Out of these, only 8-10 are considered top-tier, such as the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), World Drinks Awards, San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Spirits International Prestige Awards (SIP)." In addition, there are awards in niche categories, such as low alcohol, alternative ingredients (for hemp rum, banana peel whisky and the like) and environmentally friendly practices. Here, competition is less fierce. Other competitions might not have as reputed a jury. But for someone picking up a few bottles at duty-free or at the local gourmet shop for a weekend rager, the awards don't matter. They're not enough to shift the bottle from the shelf to the billing counter. "We don't enter these awards to impress customers," says Mayukh Hazarika, founder of Cherrapunji. "We do it to know whether we are beating global spirits, and whether our work holds up internationally." At competitions such as the SIP, winning isn't a matter of wowing a panel of snooty experts. More than 300 everyday folks are roped in for blind tastings of spirits, ranging from vodka, gin and whiskey, to mezcal, agave and aguardiente. No label, no country of origin, no story. Ratings are based on flavour, mouthfeel and aftertaste. "So when you win for just the liquid, it feels really good," Hazarika says. Of course, awards make a difference. But not in the way we assume. "Do I have a number that says 'Winning this award led to X sales'? No. But we do see a significant jump in visibility," says Hazarika. "We get more media coverage. When Indri won an award in 2023, newspapers covered it like it was a national moment: 'Indian whisky beats the world'. We got more inquiries, more follows, more buzz. It came because of the coverage, not the award itself." A winning bottle is also more likely to get a second look - at the store or on an online post. "It builds real credibility," says Kimberly Pereira, chief operating officer at Maya Pistola Agavepura. "That trickles down to distributors, to retailers and bars." International validation is intoxicating. When Hazarika was at the Tokyo Gin Fest this year, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the Bartenders Association in Japan had heard of Cherrapunji gin. It's why brands tend to enter competitions in key markets such as Singapore, Thailand, the US and Europe. "If you're selling in the US, a San Francisco sticker helps," says Pereira. Awards also open doors within the business. Conversations with new partners and stockists are easier, says Pereira. "Distributors take us seriously, even before tasting the product." But a medal doesn't guarantee shelf space. "I can't say that any restaurant has picked us up because of an award. It's more likely they already knew about us or tried the product and liked it." For Jaiin, who also founded the spirits consultancy Perfect Pour, and the forest gin Vanaha, awards are one piece of the puzzle. "Sure, a brand can survive a little longer by winning here and here, but in the long run, it needs to gain a consumer's trust. That comes from the story, the packaging, the narrative, and of course, the product." Cherrapunji's story is inextricable from its success. It's made in "the rainiest place on Earth" and purified rainwater is part of the gin's recipe. It comes in a stainless steel bottle not a glass one (and claims to have a lower carbon footprint). The real battle, Hazarika insists, is fought on the ground. "We have to win people over, shop by shop, bar by bar. It's a deep, grassroots effort."...