India’s Oldest Malt and Luxury Indian Heritage Spirit Makers
South Seas Distilleries
In the quiet coastal town of Dahanu, Maharashtra, lies a distillery with a legacy as profound as the spirits it produces. South Seas Distilleries is India's oldest and largest malt distillery and has long been a hidden treasure, crafting the rarest and most exquisite malts supporting some of India’s and the world's most prestigious brands. South Seas Distilleries has a rich legacy and expertise in producing malt and heritage spirits and is home to some of the rarest and vast liquid libraries collected and preserved through generations.
The Association with Heritage Spirits Since 1922
The family's connection with Mahura / Mahua traces back to 1922 when the first three distilleries were established. Situated in a coastal region, brimming with exotic fruits and flowers, they produced unique and exceptional spirits in Aswa (Dahanu) and the princely states of Jawhar and Akkalkot. Mahura /Mahua, an exceptional liquid, distilled entirely from flowers, was once a symbol of prestige, cherished by the royals and aristocrats of the nearby princely states. Guided by a vision of uncompromising quality, they built a reputation for crafting spirits loved by royalty and locals alike. Today, South Seas Distilleries is reviving this luxurious heritage spirit under their brand Six Brothers Mahura, celebrating its true Indian origins. Six Brothers Mahura represents more than a drink; it signifies a movement. It is a bold statement that India’s heritage spirits rightfully belong on the global stage.
The Malt Journey
Four decades ago, the founder’s visionary foresight led to the creation of an expansive liquid library that rivals the finest collections globally. He established South Seas Distilleries with a bold & clear vision to set up a state-of-the-art distillery dedicated to distilling and maturing malts in India in an era when the category was practically non-existent in India, something which was nothing short of revolutionary. The founder's dream was clear: to craft rare and exquisite malts. His global vision and his willingness to take risks led him to build a distillery that could rival the best in the world by installing India’s largest copper pot stills. He also travelled extensively, personally selecting rare oak casks from Spain, France, and the USA to create a repository of exceptional casks. Over time, the family amassed a remarkable collection of rare casks from around the world, including sherry casks from Spain, wine casks from France, and brandy and bourbon casks from the USA. Each cask became a quiet custodian of time, holding within it not just spirit but stories of resilience. Over the decades, South Seas Distilleries amassed a treasure trove of exceptional malts, each a testament to the passion, resilience and patience of the founder. Since then, South Seas Distilleries has thus been able to support the world’s largest malt whisky brands with their rare and exquisite malts.
Now also home to India’s largest maturation warehouse, it houses considerably aged malts as far as the eyes can see. Using first-fill casks, they mature malts with a depth of flavours extracted from these rare barrels.
Distilling Expertise
– Passion. Patience. Perseverance
The unique shape of their copper pot stills, retained since the distillery's inception, and the largest in India ensures consistency across batches. Every production stage, from mashing to bottling, occurs at their expansive distillery in Dahanu, Maharashtra. The attention to detail in crafting their Whisky and Mahura embodies the values of patience and quality over quantity.
Dahanu
– A Paradise for Tropical Maturation
The unique shape of their copper pot stills, retained since the distillery's inception, and the largest in India ensures consistency across batches. Every production stage, from mashing to bottling, occurs at their expansive distillery in Dahanu, Maharashtra. The attention to detail in crafting their Whisky and Mahura embodies the values of patience and quality over quantity.
The Single Malt Whisky (December 2023) - Legacy. Luxury. Liquid.
Introducing Crazy Cock
Combining the family legacy and expertise with the distinct liquid library, South Seas Distilleries launched its first Original Bottling (OB), Crazy Cock – The Single Malt Whisky available in two exquisite expressions: RARE and DHUA. These are some of India’s oldest and rarest aged malt spirits. The two expressions of Crazy Cock Single Malt Whisky are bottled directly from the distillery's treasured collection. Crazy Cock Single Malt RARE is aged in double oak— ex bourbon and ex sherry casks. Its rich amber hue, sherried sweetness, and velvety finish are comparable to 25-year-old whiskies from colder climates. Meanwhile, Crazy Cock Single Malt DHUA, meaning "smoke" in Hindi, is a peated expression that balances smoky undertones with layers of complexity, offering a bold profile. The term "Crazy" in the name reflects the founder's vision from four decades ago to set up a world class malt distillery and maturation warehouse with a belief that Indian Single Malts would achieve global acclaim in the future. The name "Cock" is derived from the crowing of the rooster, symbolising the beginning of a new chapter for South Seas Distilleries as they expand with their first Original Bottling brand.
Bottle Design
The bottle design of Crazy Cock Single Malts is an amalgamation of tradition and sophistication, resulting in a timeless visual representation. The ‘Cock’ or crowing of the cock in the morning heralds in a new day, South Seas Distilleries now forays into a new beginning, from their B2B to their B2C journey. The distinctive bulge at the neck of each bottle mirrors the unique shape of the copper pot stills that have been integral to the distillation process at South Seas Distilleries for decades. Even the cork, sourced from Portugal, is of the finest quality in the world, ensuring that opening a bottle of Crazy Cock single malts feels like unveiling a piece of art and perfectly complements the rare liquid. Every element connects the rich history of the distillery with each bottle.
Introducing Six Brothers
(September 2024) - India’s Global Spirit
The Six Brothers story began in 1922 when the pioneering six brothers became the first to distill Mahura commercially. Over four generations, their craft has been perfected. Decades later, the founder of South Seas Distilleries set up one of India’s most expansive distilleries, taking on the responsibility of reviving Mahura and becoming the nation’s largest producer of this heritage spirit. With the expertise of 102 years, the distillery has finally revealed India’s first luxury heritage Mahura spirit. This has been released as an ode to the family’s forefathers, the six brothers, who began their distilling journey over a century ago. With the launch of this, South Seas Distilleries has created a spirit category that has never been seen before – a heritage spirit made with modern techniques and luxurious in every aspect. This highly versatile spirit is India’s answer to iconic global spirits from around the world – just as Tequila is to Mexico, Cognac is to France and Scotch is to Scotland. With Six Brothers Mahura (Mahua), India is ready to establish its place among the world’s best and most well-known spirits.
.jpg)
Bottle Design
Six Brothers Mahura doesn’t just celebrate a legacy; it embodies it. Every element of its design tells a story. Twelve watchful eyes are etched onto the base of the bottle, symbolising the six brothers whose vision and resilience shaped this journey. The claw marks etched across the base of the bottle stand for the family’s and the Mahura spirit’s perseverance through generations. The tiger motif on the label represents resilience, daring mindset and guardianship of the Mahura spirit. Just like the tiger who is the guardian of the forest where the Mahura flower blooms once a year in spring. The “Eye” on the stopper represents the united vision to revive Mahura as India’s global spirit. A ribbed, vintage-style bottle, adorned in elegant hues of off-white and deep blue, completes the story—a tribute to legacy, heritage and Indian artistry.