Alice Lascelles, Douglas Blyde, Millie Milliken, Pritesh Mody, Max Venning and Francesco Braun will judge a cocktail competition by a first-in-category spirit at The Six Brothers Mahura Masters.
South Seas Distilleries, one of India’s oldest malt distilleries, is poised to revolutionise the global drinks market with the debut of Six Brothers Mahura: the world’s first-to-market spirit distilled from the culturally significant Mahura flower (Madhuca Longifolia, also known as Mahua, Mahuva, Mahuda or Mhowra), native to the forests of western and central India.
Revered for centuries in India and known as the ‘Wishing Tree’, the Mahura tree represents abundance, resilience, growth, fertility and continuity. Its flower has long been cherished in India by indigenous tribal communities and royalty alike. Its vibrant essence is woven into the fabric of the country’s tradition. Yet, during British colonial rule, it was banned, a strategic move to curb competition with European spirit imports. Indigenous tribal communities were denied the freedom to produce or sell it beyond the confines of their village markets. Now, with the launch of Six Brothers Mahura, a forgotten Indian heritage spirit is reborn, heralding the revival of Mahura.
South Seas Distilleries introduces two Mahura products to its range of spirits, each crafted from the naturally sweet distillate of the sun-kissed Mahura flower. Six Brothers 1922 Resurrection Mahura is a limited-edition ultra-premium release of only 102 bottles, and the world’s first and oldest matured Mahura spirit. Available by exclusive allocation, it embodies the pinnacle of rare craftsmanship and enduring elegance, a true testament to being leaders of leaders in the category since 1922. The second expression, Six Brothers Small Batch Mahura is premium spirit, double-distilled in copper pot stills and platinum filtered and will launch in the UK in 2025, marking the first time Mahura distilled in India has ever been sold outside of India.
After a century of prohibition, these releases honour the vision and perseverance of the six brothers, who pledged to preserve and tell the story of the time-honoured indigenous legacy of the Mahura spirit for future generations, all over the world. Thus, reclaiming the family’s legacy, as the earliest producers of this heritage spirit.
Crafted for the discerning palate, Six Brothers Mahura is unlike any other spirit. Honouring the bountiful gifts of the Mahura tree. It connects the past with the present, integrating ancient heritage and tradition with a sophisticated process of double distillation in India’s oldest and largest copper pot stills, the same pot stills that have given birth to the oldest single malts in India and further platinum filtered, igniting a spirit as unique and remarkable as the story behind it.
It offers a complex and aromatic profile that begins with sweet, earthy notes of dried fruits, pepper, and ginger, followed by a clean, spicy finish with lingering raisin and hay. It lends itself to a range of flavour profiles to create bold and sophisticated cocktails for people who have a thirst for life and cherish connection.
Every sip of Six Brothers Mahura is a celebration of life’s richness, embodying the Mahura tree’s natural abundance and generosity, with a connection with the raw energy and vibrancy of India’s wilderness.
The Six Brothers Mahura Masters: Shaping the Future of Mahura in the UK
To mark the UK launch of Six Brothers Mahura and this revolutionary category in the world of spirits, the brand has begun to engage a number of London’s most celebrated and promising bartenders in a prestigious cocktail competition: The Six Brothers Mahura Masters.
The competition will be held in March at Rosewood London’s Scarfes Bar, recognised as one of the world’s best bars by 50 Best. The hotel’s Director of Bars, Andy Loudon said:
“Scarfes Bar is a globally celebrated venue, renowned for its rich storytelling, creative ingenuity, and its position as one of the World’s 50 Best Bars. Its design, inspired by the timeless elegance of gentleman’s clubs and adorned with Gerald Scarfe’s iconic caricatures, creates a space that embodies imagination and wit — the perfect setting for the launch of a new spirit category with Six Brothers Mahura. With a legacy of redefining cocktail culture through creativity and narrative driven storytelling, Scarfes Bar naturally aligns with the symbolism of the Mahura flower: rare, vibrant, and full of possibility. The venue’s history of hosting world-class competitions and championing forward-thinking bartending makes it a fitting stage to unveil a spirit that, like the Mahura, signifies growth, transformation, and a bold new chapter in the world of cocktails.”
Drinks Critic Douglas Blyde, one of The Six Brothers Mahura Masters’ esteemed judges adds:
“The competition provides an opportunity to introduce this groundbreaking spirit to the UK market, engaging the capital’s best talent in the process. Bartenders will have the unique chance to shape the way Mahura as a category is received in the UK, and to push the boundaries of what this versatile spirit can do in cocktails.”
The competition will see two winners recognised for creating the most inspired and well-balanced serves using 40-60ml of Six Brothers Mahura, for which they will be rewarded with a memorable and luxurious trip to India. The winners will visit the birthplace of Six Brothers Mahura to learn more about its cultural and distilling heritage, visiting at the time of the bloom of the Mahura tree.
The competition will be judged by six of the drinks industry’s most respected names:
- FT HTSI drinks columnist and author, Alice Lascelles
- Wine & spirits consultant and columnist, Douglas Blyde
- Award-winning spirits, cocktail and hospitality writer and editor, Millie Milliken
- Cocktail expert and Sunday Brunch presenter, Pritesh Mody
- Founder of acclaimed cocktail Three Sheets, Max Venning
- Bartender and beverage consultant, Francesco Braun
The judges met by appointment with some of London’s most celebrated and promising bartenders, offering an exclusive first taste of the liquid. With the allure of something new and special, they were successful in recruiting representatives from a collection of the capital’s most exciting independent, hotel and restaurant bars, to create a signature serve using the world’s first Mahura spirit.
Participating venues include World’s 50 Best Bar awarded Scarfes Bar, SAMBAROOM cocktail bar & lounge that boasts views across the city from its 39th floor location, the Indian influenced speakeasy cocktail bar, SOMA, new late night lounge, LUUM known for its collection of rare and unique spirits, and iconic hotel bars from The Dorchester’s Vesper Bar to Le Magritte at The Beaumont.
The competition serves as an introduction to a truly unique spirit and a pivotal moment for bartenders to help shape its legacy in the UK.
Limited spaces are still available for hopeful bartenders to enter the competition, which will be held on Monday 3rd March in London. To register interest, please contact: [email protected]
Tasting Notes of Six Brothers Mahura (ABV 40%)
- Nose: Sweet, earthy aromas with hints of dried hay, green figs, apricots, raisins, and prunes, layered with black pepper and dried ginger.
- Palate: A bold sweetness balanced by light savoury notes and a touch of salinity, followed by dried fruit and a tingling peppery finish.
- Finish: Clean and spicy, with a lingering sweetness of raisin and hay.
