In a move that signals the rising premiumisation of India’s spirits market, music artist-turned-entrepreneur Badshah has partnered with Cartel Bros — the makers of The Glenwalk and The GlenJourneys — to launch Shelter 6, a six-times distilled vodka positioned at the top end of the white spirits category, on Saturday. At a retail price of ₹1,999 per bottle, the new venture targets a ₹700-crore valuation within three years and aims to capture at least 25% of India’s expanding vodka segment. 

Distilled in Russia and marketed as “smooth as water,” Shelter 6 marks Cartel Bros’ most ambitious white spirits entry yet. The vodka comes in a metallic, sleek bottle and is crafted to appeal to the country’s rising cohort of young, premium consumers who increasingly favour white spirits over legacy brown spirits.

For Badshah, the partnership was driven by instinct and chemistry rather than contracts. “I don’t read contracts; I read people,” he said, recalling his first meeting with Cartel Bros co-founder Mokksh Sani. “The day I tried the vodka, I said ‘done’. Moksh is someone I trust, and I love learning and building with people like him.”

Once considered niche, the white-spirits market, which includes vodka, gin, and other clear spirits, is now estimated by industry insiders to be worth roughly ₹26,000-37,000 crore, with projections suggesting it could cross ₹60,000 crore over the next decade. While government-linked assessments place the segment more conservatively at around ₹10,000-15,000 crore, both views point to the same trajectory: white spirits have become one of the fastest-growing categories in India’s alcobev landscape.

Badshah also highlighted the strong momentum within India’s white-spirits market, noting how rapidly the segment has evolved. “White spirits is a growing market — it’s ever-growing,” he said. “It used to be niche a few years ago, but today it has become a basic benchmark for the liquor industry. The timing couldn’t be better.”

Sani emphasised that the six-stage distillation process — higher than the four-stage distillation commonly seen in India — was central to creating a product that could credibly compete in the premium segment. “Quality was non-negotiable,” he added. “We wanted a vodka that stands up to global benchmarks in smoothness and purity.”

The company plans a phased rollout, starting with Maharashtra and Goa in November 2025, followed by a national expansion in the next quarter. Flavoured variants are scheduled for early 2026, with international launches expected after the domestic footprint is firmly established.

Shelter 6 also taps into the growing convergence of celebrity influence and premium consumer brands in India — a space Cartel Bros understands well. The company has previously partnered with Sanjay Dutt for The Glenwalk and Ajay Devgn for The GlenJourneys, creating successful, personality-driven whisky labels that strengthened its positioning in the premium alcobev market. For Cartel Bros, selecting the right collaborator is a core part of product strategy. “Vodka is a young, high-energy category. Badshah was the clear choice,” Sani said. “Our first conversation lasted less than 30 minutes — the partnership fell into place instantly.”

The collaboration underscores a broader shift in India’s alcobev market toward premium, design-led products backed by distinctive storytelling. With Shelter 6, Cartel Bros and Badshah are betting that the next wave of growth will come from spirits that blend craftsmanship with cultural relevance — and from consumers who are willing to pay for both.