First Indian premium 100% agave spirit to claim top national honours, alongside two Golds and a Silver
Backed by over 50 global and national accolades, Pistola continues to set new benchmarks with its distinct portfolio of premium agave spirits
NEW DELHI, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Maya Pistola Agavepura, Asia’s first premium 100% agave spirit, has made history at the USA Spirits Ratings 2025, where its Reposado expression was crowned ‘Spirit of the Year – India’ — the highest recognition awarded to an Indian brand at the event this year.
Standing out among nine categories and numerous Indian entries, Pistola emerged as the overall national winner, reaffirming its pioneering role in shaping India’s craft spirits movement. The Reposado also earned a Gold Medal with 95 points, highlighting its exceptional quality and craftsmanship. In addition, the Añejo won Gold (92 points) and the Joven received Silver (89 points), further cementing Pistola’s position for quality across every expression.
Organised annually by the Beverage Trade Network in San Francisco, the USA Spirits Ratings is one of the world’s most respected competitions, judged by leading industry professionals across three criteria — Quality, Value, and Packaging. The awards recognise spirits that combine outstanding craft with consumer appeal that set new benchmarks for excellence.
Adding to this landmark achievement, Maya Pistola Agavepura’s Añejo also secured a Gold Medal at the India Wine and Spirits Awards (IWSA) 2025, held in Mumbai this month — a recognition that celebrates India’s finest wines and spirits across blind tastings judged by leading experts and industry professionals.
With these new honours, Maya Pistola’s global medal tally is now over 50 accolades, solidifying its reputation in India and internationally. Since its launch in 2022, Pistola has been redefining the agave landscape overall. With high quality Tequilas and Mezcals gaining popularity across the world, the Agavepura category is also set to shine. A commitment to 100% additive-free lies at the heart of the brand, hence their coining of the term ‘Agavepura’. Pistola combines refined ageing techniques and a bold sense of provenance to create an entirely new category of premium spirits.
The brand’s portfolio currently spans five expressions — Joven, Reposado, Rosa, Añejo, and Extra Añejo — each matured for varying periods to showcase the nuanced depth of agave and the terroir of India. Over the past few years, Pistola has rapidly expanded its presence across 8 states in India, the latest being Rajasthan. Pistola has also just launched in the UK via The Whiskey Exchange, which is globally one of the most respected and top-tier retailers.
Rakshay Dhariwal, Founder & Director of Maya Pistola Agavepura, said, “To have Pistola recognised as the ‘Spirit of the Year – India’ at the USA Spirits Awards 2025 is a very proud and humbling moment for us. We set out to create a new category of spirit – Agavepura, and for that to receive so much international acclaim, above the Single Malt and craft Gin entries, is no small feat and also validates all the hard work that we have been putting into building this category, with focused attention on our maturation and production.”
Pistola has won the following prestigious awards across the world:
| | | | | |
| 1 | 2025 | USA Spirits Rating 2025 | Spirit of the Year – India 2025 | Reposado |
| 2 | 2025 | USA Spirits Rating 2025 | Silver | Joven |
| 3 | 2025 | USA Spirits Rating 2025 | Gold | Reposado |
| 4 | 2025 | USA Spirits Rating 2025 | Gold | Añejo |
| 5 | 2025 | India Wine and Spirits Awards 2025 | Gold | Añejo |
| 6 | 2025 | ProWine & ProSpirits Challenge | Silver | Extra Añejo |
| 7 | 2025 | ProWine & ProSpirits Challenge | Bronze | Añejo |
| 8 | 2025 | ProWine & ProSpirits Challenge | Bronze | Joven |
| 9 | 2025 | ProWine & ProSpirits Challenge | Bronze | Reposado |
| 10 | 2025 | Asian Spirits Masters | Silver | Añejo |
| 11 | 2025 | Asian Spirits Masters | Gold | Extra Añejo |
| 12 | 2025 | Berlin International Spirits Competition | India Agave Distillery of the Year | 2025 |
| 13 | 2025 | Berlin International Spirits Competition | Silver | Extra Añejo |
| 14 | 2025 | Berlin International Spirits Competition | Gold | Añejo |
| 15 | 2024 | Asia International Spirits Competition | Bronze | Reposado |
| 16 | 2024 | Asia International Spirits Competition | Silver | Joven |
| 17 | 2024 | Asia International Spirits Competition | Gold | Añejo |
| 18 | 2024 | Asia International Spirits Competition | India Producer of the Year | 2024 |
| 19 | 2024 | Travel + Leisure Delicious Dining Awards | Best Agave | 2024 |
| 20 | 2024 | SIP Awards | Gold | Añejo |
| 21 | 2024 | SIP Awards | Double Gold | Reposado |
| 22 | 2024 | The Asian Spirits Masters | Gold | Añejo |
| 23 | 2024 | The Asian Spirits Masters | Gold | Joven |
| 24 | 2024 | The Asian Spirits Masters | Silver | Extra Añejo |
| 25 | 2024 | The Asian Spirits Masters | Silver | Reposado |
| 26 | 2024 | Global Spirits Masters Competition – Spring Blind Tasting | Silver | Extra Añejo |
| 27 | 2024 | Global Spirits Masters Competition – Spring Blind Tasting | Gold | Joven |
| 28 | 2024 | San Francisco World Spirits Competition | Silver | Añejo |
| 29 | 2024 | San Francisco World Spirits Competition | Silver | Joven |
| 30 | 2024 | London Spirits Competition | Silver | Añejo |
| 31 | 2024 | London Spirits Competition | Silver | Reposado |
| 32 | 2024 | London Spirits Competition | Silver | Joven |
| 33 | 2024 | Spirit Of Craft Awards | One Star with a Green Ring | Añejo |
| 34 | 2024 | Spirit Of Craft Awards | Two Stars with a Green Ring | Joven |
| 35 | 2024 | Spirit Of Craft Awards | Two Stars with a Green Ring | Reposado |
| 36 | 2024 | International Wine & Spirit Competition | Silver | Joven |
| 37 | 2024 | International Wine & Spirit Competition | Silver | Reposado |
| 38 | 2024 | International Wine & Spirit Competition | Silver | Añejo |
| 39 | 2024 | International Wine & Spirit Competition | Silver | Extra Añejo |
| 40 | 2023 | Spiritz Selection Awards | Gold | Reposado |
| 41 | 2023 | Spiritz Selection Awards | Grand Gold | Reposado |
| 42 | 2023 | Spiritz Selection Awards | Silver | Joven |
| 43 | 2023 | Spiritz Selection Awards | Gold | Joven |
| 44 | 2023 | Spiritz Selection Awards | Silver | Añejo |
| 45 | 2023 | Bartender Spirits Awards | Silver | Añejo |
| 46 | 2023 | Bartender Spirits Awards | Silver | Joven |
| 47 | 2023 | Bartender Spirits Awards | Bronze | Reposado |
| 48 | 2023 | Global Spirits Masters Competition – Spring Blind Tasting | Master | Añejo |
| 49 | 2023 | Global Spirits Masters Competition – Spring Blind Tasting | Gold | Reposado |
| 50 | 2023 | Global Spirits Masters Competition – Spring Blind Tasting | Silver | Joven |
| 51 | 2023 | SIP Awards | Gold | Reposado |
| 52 | 2023 | SIP Awards | Silver | Añejo |
| 53 | 2022 | San Francisco World Spirits Competition | Silver | Reposado |
About Maya Pistola Agavepura:
Maya Pistola Agavepura (Pistola) is Asia’s first aged 100% Agave spirit made from the Wild Agave Americana that thrives on the highlands of India’s Deccan plateau. Each small batch has been aged and blended to bring out the smooth flavours from oak while allowing the naturally occurring variation in minerality that can be expected from Wild Agave to shine. Made completely naturally with no use of artificial colours, the core value of Pistola is authenticity. Each bottle is unique, has its own character, and its own truth.
About Inspired Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.:
Inspired Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. stands as a beacon of excellence in the beverage alcohol industry, revered for its innovative craft spirit and dedication to creating unprecedented experiences. At the heart of its endeavours lies Maya Pistola Agavepura, Asia’s first premium aged 100% Agave spirit brand from India that embodies luxury and unparalleled quality, redefining the essence of fine drinking experiences. In April 2024, United Spirits acquired a 15% stake in Inspired Hospitality for Rs 5.65 crore through the subscription of 3,494 Compulsory Convertible Preference Shares and 10 equity shares of Maya Pistola Agavepura, constituting approximately 15.0% of the brand’s fully diluted share capital.
For more information, please visit https://pistola.in/ and https://www.instagram.com/pistola.agave/
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