There are no shortage of spirits in Australia, and no shortage of great ones, either. So why did I feel the need to introduce a completely new recipe? The truth is, the value of Yaara Distillery for me goes well beyond mere drinks. I have chosen to launch Yaara with the unique taste of Desi Daru for sentimental, cultural and personal reasons. Desi Daru is a drink native to my homeland, India. It is an ancient recipe that was originally prepared for the Maharaja of Patiala. I grew up alongside this drink and saw its significance for my people and our culture. However, despite its popularity, Desi Daru never became a mainstream drink, and has never been produced on an industrial scale. Instead, it had a long life on the popular moonshine market, and in individual homes. Desi Daru was also banned under British colonisation, both as a way to disconnect Indians from their cultures, as well as a way to ensure that profits from spirit sales sailed back to the Commonwealth. Desi Daru is a special drink, spicy in taste and rich in meaning. It has never been produced, marketed or sold outside of India, and has never received the legitimacy that I know it deserves. Yaara Distillery changes that. Preserving Desi Daru is preserving a part of my culture. Legitimising it is legitimising my place in the world. Introducing it to the world is introducing my home to my friends. I hope you enjoy the experience.
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