How Woodsman Whisky Tapped into India’s Biggest Liquor Market with a Himalayan Twist

How Woodsman Whisky Tapped into India’s Biggest Liquor Market with a Himalayan Twist

Shivam Gangalani, the founder of Woodsman Himalayan Whisky, stepped onto the Shark Tank India stage with a bold ambition: to rebrand Indian whisky with a new premium identity. While India has long been the world’s largest whisky market by volume, it still carries the generic label of IMFL — Indian Made Foreign Liquor. Shivam believes it’s time for a change.

This blog explores how Woodsman is using origin storytelling, positioning, and retail hustle to carve out a brand in a competitive market. And more importantly, what solo founders can learn from it.

The Big Idea

Shivam’s pitch was simple but sharp — if Scotch is Scottish and Bourbon is American, then Indian whisky deserves a name of its own. His proposal? Himalayan Whisky. By sourcing water and malt from the Himalayan region, Woodsman sets itself apart from decades-old brands that haven’t evolved with modern consumer expectations.

In his own words, 60 percent of whisky is water, and water quality directly impacts smoothness. The Himalayas aren’t just a marketing hook; they’re a natural differentiator that’s easy for customers to understand and trust.

Why It Works

Branding is about recall. Shivam realized early on that in a wine shop, he had only five seconds to make a connection with a buyer. That’s why the word "Himalayan" is printed right on the bottle. It’s short, powerful, and triggers associations with purity and premium quality.

And it’s not just talk. Woodsman’s primary SKU is already selling in four Indian states, and the company has crossed over 5 million bottles sold in just three years.

A Lean MVP with Real Grit

Before Woodsman, Shivam explored agricultural exports and worked closely with people inside the liquor industry. His real market education came from the ground up — riding on distributor bikes, meeting retailers, understanding incentives, and discovering what motivates the last-mile sellers.

He first tested a low-cost version of the business in Goa and Daman under a different brand. That’s where he made the bulk of his mistakes — cheaply and early. It gave him the confidence to double down later with Woodsman.

The Numbers Tell a Story

Over the past three years, Woodsman has posted impressive growth. Annual gross sales have crossed 120 crore rupees, and monthly net revenue is now around 3 to 4 crore. Though the company reported losses in the previous years, it is now EBIT-positive and scaling with operational discipline.

Woodsman has also raised two funding rounds. The first was 4.6 crore from Coca-Cola Asia Pacific’s former chairman. The second brought in 12.5 crore at a 132 crore post-money valuation, from family offices and successful D2C founders.

What Solo Founders Can Learn

Positioning matters. Shivam didn’t invent a new drink. He took a common product and built a new category around it. That’s branding done right.

His approach to validation was also textbook lean — test small, fail fast, and scale what works. He didn’t start with a massive ad campaign. He started by understanding shelf behavior at the store level.

Finally, Woodsman proves that in saturated markets, simplicity wins. A clear identity and origin story outperforms a feature list. When customers only give you five seconds, clarity beats complexity.

Final Thoughts

Woodsman’s pitch wasn’t just about whisky — it was a masterclass in founder insight, brand clarity, and customer psychology. Whether you're building a tech product or a consumer brand, the fundamentals remain the same.

• Start with a clear reason to exist

• Use origin or story to drive trust

• Test the market from the bottom up

• Sell in the language your customer already understands

Shivam may not have walked away with a Shark deal, but he walked away with the respect of everyone watching. That’s what a real founder’s pitch looks like.