Beginning July 12, Troy, Michigan-based whiskey brand Varchas Whiskey is launching Shankar Distillers, an innovative distillery and tasting room in Troy where guests can enjoy drams of award-winning craft bourbons and newly created spirits, experiential whiskey tours and an exciting menu of original and classic cocktails. The ambitious distillery offers a collection of premium whiskeys that reflect a harmonious marriage of East and West cultures, creating spirits that transcend boundaries.
The Shankar Distillers tasting room and distillery is located at 1030 Chicago Road. The building is instantly recognized, thanks to a second story distillation column housed in a glass tower that peers out the roof, and the eagle mural painted on the side of the building.
Distillery tours include a behind-the-scenes, escorted route through the distillery’s production facility and rickhouse, explaining the art and science of the distillation and aging processes, followed by a sensory whiskey tasting experience that explains how to best enjoy and experience the aroma, flavor and finish of the distillery’s many whiskeys.
Founded by V2Soft founder and tech entrepreneur Varchasvi Shankar, the American whiskey distillery is the first to be opened by an Indian immigrant and Varchas Whiskey is the first American craft bourbon being exported to India.
Varchas is best known for its award-winning whiskeys, including two whiskeys honored as Gold Medal Winners at the recent 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition: Varchas Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Varchas Reserve 102 Straight Bourbon Whiskey. All the bottles are works of art with a double-headed eagle label and the distinctive American eagle top that symbolizes Shankar’s Indian heritage combined with his success in America.
“I’ve always had a tremendous passion for whiskey, and I wanted to be a part of taking America’s bourbon boom global. With all my business travel, I saw that there were very few delicious bourbons in my home country of India, even though it’s the biggest whiskey market in the world,” said Shankar. “We now export our craft bourbon to India and sell more Varchas Whiskey there than many other famous American brands. I’m proud to be making it in my home state of Michigan and bringing it to the rest the world.”
The US Department of Agriculture and US Dept of Commerce have helped to promote Varchas products in India and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is currently helping the brand in Michigan.
Master distiller Kylash Sivakumar and Shankar worked together to create a distillery filled with the latest equipment and technology to ensure that each small batch of whiskey is handcrafted with their expert touch.
“Our plan is to source our corn, rye and barley from Michigan’s best farms and pair it with fresh Great Lakes water to get the distinctive flavor for our Varchas whiskeys,” said Sivakumar. “It’s an awesome example of how Michigan manufacturing is creating whiskeys that are being enjoyed across the US in states like Georgia, Illinois, Florida, Maryland, Texas and Virginia, and even as far as India. That said, one of the most exciting parts of this project for me is being able to create some experimental, limited-edition whiskeys that you’ll only be able to get at our distillery.”
Beginning July 12, the tasting room will be open Wednesday through Sunday and tours will be available Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon. To book a tour, visit shankardistillers.com/book-a-tour/.