India’s Alco-Bee exports have long been defined by whiskey. Other souls, vodka, especially, were usually seen as imports, not as categories where Indian brands competed. The notion moved in August 2025, when Zigzag Vodka, in its launch only in months, raised several medals in the Asia World Spirits Competition, which was held by a tasting coalition.
In his first outing, Zigzag managed a clean sweep: its origin, green apple and three silver medals for orange vodcas, and a bronze for lime. Recognition for the entire portfolio on a respected international platform is anywhere unusual, but for a brand it is new, it is striking.
For an industry where global acceptance has often taken years, Zigzag’s debut performance shows how soon the story is changing.
Boundary recognition
Many brands test water with the same expression before diversification. Zigzag adopted a different route. From the beginning, it was launched with a portfolio of four vodcas, each specific yet tied together by a bold, design-numerous identity.
The results of the competition valid that strategy. Each version was recognized. No weak links, no uneven performance, just a complete set of medals. For co-founder Ishwarj Singh Bhatia, who also helped in making Simba beer, that moment was a milestone:
“This is a proud moment for Indian souls. Zigzag is officially an Indian Vodka brand to win international honors in its entire range, and that too, within our first year. It is an honor for recognizing on a global stage, and it strengthens our belief what we are building-a bold, designed sentiment from India that is ready to celebrate the world.”
Asia World Spirits Competition explained
The Asia World Spirits Competition is not just another medal program. Played by tasting coalition, the same group that oversees San Francisco and New York World Spirits Competitions, has created a reputation as one of the most respected platforms for evaluation of souls.
Its Judge panels are made up of experienced distillers, critics and industry professionals. Medals are properly lifted weight because they come from blind taste, where each product is evaluated only on quality and style adherence.
Over the years, tasting coalition awards have been known to influence distribution discussions, open doors to new markets and establish credibility with partners. For young brands, recognition here acts as a seal of authenticity that can accelerate development. Against that background, Zigzag’s clean sweep highlighted both ambition and execution in its debut year.
What makes these wins important
For a long time, India dominated whiskey in global alco-bad trade. Vodka, gin, and other white souls were more often consumed compared to India’s production. The success of Zigzag challenges the pattern that shows that Indian labels can now compete in categories where they had very little appearance earlier.
Recognition works at many levels. For new entry, this is verification. Launching a Vodka brand in India and putting it on a global stage within months is a bold step; All four variants win medals by looking at, proves that it is not only clever branding, but real quality. For partners, IE distributors, retailers, bartenders, such awards are assuring the signals when deciding to return a young brand. For the ecosystem of Indian souls, the global honors of Zigzag are proud and strengthened confidence that homegron labels can mix shoulder to shoulder with international peers.
In that sense, zigzag medals are more than a trophy for a company. They work as a marker for the broad Indian spirits industry, there is evidence that the country can be part of the conversation in Vodka as it is in whiskey.
Inside the vision of zigzag
The identity of zigzag lies in going against the grain. Its tagline, “Never Walk Strait”, captures the ethos of the brand. The brand was designed to represent boldness, personality and creativity.
Instead of playing it safely, Zigzag launched with a design-native philosophy. The choice of bottles, branding, and even tastes was to give some different indications: an Indian vodka could be stylish and courageous as its global counterparts.
The decision to start with four manifestations was deliberately made instead of one. The team wanted to demonstrate width and flexibility, not on the same flagship but on a harmonious border. The results of the Asia World Spirits Competition suggest that gambling has worked.
A changing industry landscape
The success of Zigzag comes when India’s Alco-Big Sector Change is going on. The industry estimates that by 2025 the market ranks over $ 2025, with the fastest growth from premium and craft segments. Consumers are looking for variety, design and flavor-forward experiences instead of volume only.
For years, whiskey dominated India’s export identity. Vodka rarely engaged in conversation. It is now moving, thanks to entrepreneurs who are less constrained than tradition and are more confident about international competition.
Zigzag is part of this generational wave. Beer, Jin and now in Vodka are showing brands that Indian labels can reliably participate in global categories. Tasting coalitions indicate medals that India is no longer a story of one-soul.
Generational changes in founders
Co-founder Ishwarj Singh Bhatia is a representative of a new group of Elco-Bev Entrepreneurs. Instead of waiting for years before testing international water, they are entering global competitions early.
Their bets are on bold branding, unconventional design and taste variety. This shows a belief that today’s market reacts as much to the story and identity in both India and abroad, what is in the glass. Zigzag is built on that thinking, and its first identity suggests that there is traction in strategy.
What did Simba teach the team
While zigzag stands on its own, it benefits from the experience of its founding team. The same group launched Simba Beer in 2016, one of India’s early craft beer players. Along with Simba, he learned how to create a challenger brand against contestants on industrial scale.
Zigzag implements those lessons in a new category. While Simba disrupts the beer of legacy with craft identity, Zigzag is making a similar effort in Vodka, but with focus on design and cultural status as well.
Medals in the Asia World Spirits Competition suggest that the approach has been seen internationally. And with the distribution knowledge made from Simba, zigzag is better than most first year entrances.
Redefine India’s presence abroad
For a long time, the global alco-bad industry saw India as a market, not as a source of premium exports. The recognition of zigzag complicates that scene. This indicates that Indian brands can create products with international appeal, produced on both quality and creativity.
This matters because it underlines how Indian souls are considered abroad. Instead of boxing in tradition-wise categories like whiskey, Indian entrepreneurs are now playing in categories like Vodka, who are associated with modernity and trendsetting.
Lines
Simba Beer and Zigzag Vodka are part of both Saltbourne, a collective focused on craftsmanship, authenticity and innovation. The mission of Saltbourne is to cure brands who are ambitious globally while being right for their origin.
The four medals of Zigzag are not just a personal victory, but an example of this big philosophy at work. By nourishing pioneers such as Simba and Zigzag, Saltbourne is slowly shaping India’s position in global beverage conversation.
For Zigzag, recognition in the Asia World Spirits Competition is a foundation. For Saltbourne, it is another proof point in a trip aimed at showing the world that Indian brands can be bold, reliable and globally relevant.
Look forward
Zigzag’s debut year will be remembered for its immediate effect. Some brands manage to secure international honor in an entire portfolio so soon.
The Asia World Spirits Competition is an achievement in 2025, but they are also a beginning. They carry forward zigzag to pursue reliability, visibility and confidence. And for India’s Alco-Big Industry, they indicate that a new chapter has begun, one where Vodka too, can carry an Indian label on a global stage.
Pay attention to the reader: This article has been created by the brand by the HT brand studio and does not have the journalism/editorial participation of Hindustan Times. Readers are advised that alcohol consumption is harmful to health and drug addiction and is prohibited for people below the age of legal drinking. Not for promotion.
