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"You must visit the whiskey distillery near Dimapur,” a close friend from the northeast recommended when I told her of my maiden trip to Nagaland. “They produce a whiskey comparable to American bourbon,” she added. I was confused and also dismissive—after all, it didn’t fit into the stereotypical itinerary of scenic locations I had stumbled upon on the internet.
The adventure began with a not-so-pleasant flight from Delhi to Dimapur (blame it on the rugged weather). However, nothing could shake our spirits since our group of five was excited beyond words to explore the craft, cuisine, and culture of the state.
After a short lunch stop at our homestay–Heirloom Naga in Dimapur, we decided to embark on an exploration of the town. That’s when a local remarked, “Do you want to learn more about the art of whiskey making?”
A pleasant 30-minute drive through sparsely crowded roads took us to our destination in Khat Khati in Karbi Anglong district in Assam (only 10 kms from the Nagaland border). I spotted a board that read "Radiant Manufacturers" and knew we had arrived.
Once a sleepy hamlet, Khat Khati has been given a shot in the arm. With a new lease of life, it has potential to become a sought-after destination for premium whisky drinkers.
As I walked inside the unit, my eyes went straight on to the many barrels neatly lined in rows. Each had certain details written on its bottom–the series of cask, distillation and filling date.
The aroma of whiskey was strong, sometimes a little too much to take in. It was also a giveaway of its taste.
Moments later, after nosing the two-year-aged variant, every inch of my palate was covered with the whiskey. The fruity notes with a hint of blackberries and coffee was heady, with its aftertaste lingering for a while.
For most of us, the thought of homegrown whiskey was linked with sub-par offerings. The premiumisation of the spirit was associated with international brands, who waved the quality flag high! That's no longer true. And if I were to be honest, this northeastern spirit could pass off as any other premium whiskey if I were blindfolded.
The stories were equally potent. Intermittently, Vicky Chand, director and CEO at Radiant Manufacturers, sprinkled the walk with anecdotes, sharing all about the brand's foray into whiskey. The first of the lot was Castle Hill Rare Reserve Whiskey, which came to life in 2013. Designed in Scotland by Pax Studios and blended by master blender John McDougall, it became the pride of northeast India yet there was much to achieve.
“After a series of meetings with McDougall in Scotland, he landed in Assam. We were able to distill our grain spirit, which was later blended to perfection using the choicest Scotch malts. This was the gold standard back then, which then paved the way for us to imagine bigger things,” he tells us.
Its success motivated them to create the Dark Knight, a 2-year small batch whiskey, in 2019. This was followed by the 4-year variant in 2021. “After we began maturing our grain spirits—broken rice and corn—we expanded our portfolio," he adds.
Why the name? Karbi Anglong, where the plant has been established, is one of the two hill districts of Assam. Chand tells us the rest, “The word ‘castle’ was prefixed as a symbol of protection. And Dark Knight was coined as an underdog term, associated with the lore of castles and kings or superheroes,” he says.
What makes Dark Night, claimed to be India's first all-maize whiskey, so smooth and strong? The maturation process is key, admits Chand, who had to go through several hits and misses in the beginning.
Initially, the cheapest available casks were used to mature a variety of spirits and grain types. When they gained confidence, the team invested in new American Oakwood casks and ex-bourbon casks. “We sourced some malt from Jammu and Kashmir, matured them in ex-bourbon casks. Besides, we matured our corn spirit after passing it through a bamboo charcoal filtration process, similar to what Jack Daniels does,” he points out.
In the two hours at the distillery, we went through the entire process of making the whiskey. From fermentation to distillation using water from the river Dhansiri (a tributary of the Brahmaputra), to understanding the technique of charcoal filtration and then ageing—this journey of learning was meditative to say the least.
“The whiskey is all natural with no additives, colours, flavours or blends,” says Chand, as we wiped the beads of sweat trickling down our foreheads, while at the distillation unit.
Currently, the distillery has a 45 kilolitre per day capacity and operates 330 days a year. “We are looking to expand our capacity to 70KL per day, besides a micro distillery and maturation cellars,” informs Chand.
Radiant Manufacturers also plans to establish a visitor centre in the near future. Currently, they permit only select people to enter the distillery for a guided tour. “We definitely want to develop the unit into a tourist destination,” he concludes.
Dimapur, located about 10 kms from Khat Khati, has a few sights that must not be missed. Head to Kachari ruins where you will find stone pillars fashioned like mushrooms. These were created by the Dimasa Kachari kingdoms that reigned before the Ahom invasion in the 13th century.
You must also visit Triple Falls. As the name suggests, it has three streams cascading down a height of 280 feet, surrounded by lush greenery. It takes a trek to reach this spot so be prepared for some huffing and chuffing.
There are several modest hotels and homestays in Dimapur. Heirloom Naga, situated with the Forest Colony, is a quaint space that offers a taste of local life. While you are here, enjoy their freshly brewed coffee or pineapple juice at the cafe. They also offer vegetarian and non-vegetarian meal bowls. The homestay also has a gallery within its premises that houses some of the daily objects used by the many tribes in the state, from headgears to handloom, and more. If you are a lover of craft, they have a shop within its complex to carry back curios!
Dimapur is best accessed by air. While there aren't many direct flights from most towns and cities, the connectivity is fairly regular with Guwahati. From here, one can book a connecting flight to Dimapur.
