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At the 17th annual awards gathering judged purely on the basis of consumer feedback and blind-tastings, Smoke Lab Saffron won the Gold + Consumer Choice Award; Smoke Lab Classic and Smoke Lab Aniseed both took home a Double Gold each
New Delhi: July 15, 2025 – Smoke Lab Vodka, India’s first premium home-grown vodka brand from the NV Group, has placed authentic, Indian-made spirits on the global map with four prestigious wins at the recently-concluded 2025 SIP Awards held in Irvine, California.
The 2025 SIP Awards is the only international spirits competition judged exclusively by consumers in blind live tastings, offering a level playing field for both established and new brands by enabling them to receive honest feedback from tasters and high-impact recognition.
India-bred Smoke Lab Vodka took home four awards:
-Smoke Lab Saffron – Gold + Consumer Choice Award.
-Smoke Lab Classic Vodka – Double Gold
-Smoke Lab Aniseed Vodka – Double Gold
“It’s a proud moment to see an Indian-made vodka brand stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the world’s finest spirits brands and win these awards purely through consumer tastings. We thank each and every taster who loved our blends and chose us over the others! These wins are a huge validation for us and our team. We will continue to push the boundaries and take the richness of Indian spirits across the world. This is just the beginning!” said Varun Jain, Founder of Smoke Lab.
Each of the brand’s three winning Vodka variants are crafted from India’s finest Basmati rice and infused with distinct flavours that cater to different palettes. The subtle, earthy Smoke Lab Saffron with a 37.5% ABV, offers the velvety smooth warm richness of Kashmiri saffron and a hint of spice. The Smoke Lab Classic with a 40% offers an ultra-smooth, clean and crisp finish, while the unique bold Smoke Lab Aniseed combines the crisp notes of aniseed with the potent flavour of licorice for that perfect herb-infused after taste.
The 17th annual SIP Awards saw over 1,300 entries from 47 countries in categories including whiskey, vodka, gin, tequila, rum, mezcal, liqueurs, cognac, RTDs, cocktail mixers and non-alcoholic spirits. Judging was carried out by 297 spirit enthusiasts through a double-blind process. Evaluation took place via curated tasting kits which allowed participants to review spirits in a distraction-free environment as well as through a live tasting event featuring a wide selection of spirits and mixers, to ensure feedback was unbiased and free from industry influence.
