World Tequila Day: Can dedicated agave bars change how India drinks?
India is experiencing a significant rise in the consumption of agave spirits, leading to the opening of specialized bars like the Agave Lounge in Pune. While the market is growing, the article explores whether the Indian palate is ready for a dedicated focus on tequila and mezcal.
Why it matters
It reflects changing consumer trends and the premiumization of the Indian alcohol market.
On a sultry Saturday evening in May, I took the elevator to the 18th floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Pune, home to Agave Lounge, touted as India’s first bar dedicated entirely to agave spirits. Opened in January 2025, the plush, mood-lit space overlooks the city’s skyline and neighbouring golf course. Most guests had gravitated to the hotel’s rooftop bar, Aasmana, leaving Agave Lounge surprisingly quiet.
It only reinforced the question I had come to answer: Is India ready for a bar built around a single spirit?
The Agave Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Pune | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
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