ABD Maestro has launched Aodh, a super-premium Irish whiskey created in partnership with Ranveer Singh. Priced at ₹3,950 and rooted in authentic Irish craftsmanship, Aodh blends global heritage with celebrity cultural energy, signaling a bold shift in India’s premium spirits market and raising the bar for future celebrity-backed launches.
ABD Maestro has sparked a fresh wave of excitement in India’s spirits industry with the launch of Aodh, a super-premium Irish whiskey born from a creative alliance with Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh. The move signals a decisive shift in how luxury alcohol brands are built, marketed, and culturally positioned in India’s rising premium consumption era.
Pronounced like the letter ‘A’, Aodh takes its name from the Irish Gaelic word for “fire” or “flame”, and the metaphor isn’t accidental. The whiskey’s identity leans heavily into its “Forged in Fire” theme, mirroring Singh’s energetic public persona and the heat of reinvention that ABD Maestro hopes to bring to the category. Unlike conventional endorsement deals, Singh’s role goes deeper — positioned as a creative partner who infuses personality into brand building rather than merely lending celebrity visibility.
The whiskey itself is rooted firmly in authentic Irish craftsmanship. Triple-distilled and matured in ex-bourbon casks, Aodh blends traditional European production with India’s evolving taste for premium, matured spirits. The strategic pricing — ₹3,950 at launch in Haryana and Maharashtra — places it squarely in the super-premium segment, an area that has been heating up as Indian consumers shift from mass accessibility to quality-driven indulgence.
But the play here goes beyond the product. ABD Maestro appears to be treating Aodh as a cultural object rather than just a beverage: a lifestyle signal, a status marker, and a bridge between global heritage and local aspiration. That shift matters. Whiskey in India, long tied to legacy, age statements, and master distiller narratives, is being reframed for a generation that consumes brands through identity, collaboration, and storytelling. In that context, Aodh is less about tasting notes and more about cultural heat.
The strategic partnership with Singh illustrates a broader trend redefining premium spirits in India: celebrity co-ownership as a tool for instant brand legitimacy and aspirational pull. Where global markets have seen successful celebrity-led launches — from tequila to gin to mezcal — India is only now accelerating into that space. Aodh stands among the first to approach the model with both seriousness and scale.
If early signals are any indication, the brand isn’t merely entering a competitive arena — it is attempting to reshape expectations. A super-premium Irish whiskey made for India, rooted in international technique, burnished by homegrown star power, and aimed at a consumer base hungry for experiences rather than commodities, is a bold marker of where the market is heading.
As India’s premium spirits segment expands, one question looms large: is celebrity co-ownership becoming the new gold standard for launching luxury alcohol brands? Aodh’s fiery debut suggests the model doesn’t just add glamour — it adds momentum. Heritage gives authenticity; celebrities give cultural force. Together, they don’t just enter markets — they ignite them.
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