Diageo®

India is one of the fastest growing whiskey markets in the world, with a rapidly expanding premium and super premium segment. As Indian consumers began seeking provenance, craft, and authorship in spirits, Diageo identified an opportunity to introduce a rare, limited run Indian single malt that could stand alongside the world’s finest.

The challenge was layered. The product would sit under the McDowell’s name, the world’s largest selling whiskey brand, but one historically associated with scale rather than luxury. The mandate was to create a new, ultra premium expression without distancing it from its origin. A zero to one brand, built within an existing mass brand architecture, designed to elevate both the new release and the parent name.

Lazy Eight partnered with Diageo across the full exercise, from early positioning and narrative through naming, digital experience, and go to market strategy. The launch was conceived as a digital first experience, allowing the brand to establish credibility, rarity, and context before physical distribution. Every decision was made to foreground craftsmanship, restraint, and confidence, positioning the release as a serious Indian single malt rather than a novelty extension.

McDowell’s & Co Distiller’s Batch Indian Single Malt launched as a limited run of 6,000 bottles and sold out. It went on to win international recognition at The World Whiskies Awards, reinforcing the credibility of Indian single malts on the global stage. For Lazy Eight, the engagement reflected a core capability. Building new brands from zero inside large enterprises, and doing so in a way that compounds long term brand equity rather than fragmenting it.