Bollywood star and businessman Vivek Oberoi has just taken a bold leap into the Scottish spirits industry. He’s picked up a 21% stake in Rutland Square Spirits—best known for its tea-infused gin—and he’s not stopping there.
There’s also a plan on the table for a zero-emission luxury hotel in Edinburgh, complete with Ayurvedic treatments and hydrogen-powered infrastructure. Yes, really.
An Actor, an Investor, and a Scottish Distillery Walk into a Bar…
Oberoi’s involvement isn’t just a celebrity endorsement. He’s a co-owner now—owning more than a fifth of Rutland Square Spirits, a boutique label founded by Indian-origin entrepreneur Nishant Sharma.
The company, based in Edinburgh, has made a name for itself with its unique oolong white tea-infused gin. The tea comes straight from Assam, one of the world’s most famous tea-growing regions. Think smoky, floral, with a hint of heritage.
This isn’t Oberoi’s first investment rodeo. The man’s portfolio spans edtech, fintech, agritech, and sustainable real estate. But Rutland Square offers something different—a personal connection, cultural crossovers, and a big sustainability angle.
The Tea-Tonic Twist Making Waves
Rutland Square Spirits isn’t just mixing alcohol and tea. It’s mixing cultures.
The company uses tea from Dibrugarh—called the Tea Capital of the World—along with supplies from Tinsukia and Sivasagar. Together, these districts are responsible for around half of India’s tea production.
This isn’t just trivia. It’s core to the brand identity. Here’s why it matters:
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It gives the gin a complex, layered flavor that stands out in a crowded market.
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It ties the brand to two powerful heritage traditions: Scottish distilling and Indian tea cultivation.
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It adds export value and cultural resonance at a time when the UK-India trade relationship is warming up.
And yes, Rutland Square’s product is actually good. They’ve bagged a Gold at the Scottish Gin Awards and earned recognition from the World Gin Awards. Not bad for a startup.
A Hotel Like No Other? That’s the Plan
Oberoi and Rutland Square Spirits aren’t just talking gin. They’re thinking bigger. A lot bigger.
Next up is a luxury hotel in Edinburgh with net-zero carbon emissions. Not just a few solar panels—full hydrogen infrastructure. According to initial plans, this would be Europe’s first hotel to operate with such a setup.
Also on the blueprint: an Ayurvedic wellness center. The idea is to blend ancient Indian health science with modern eco-design. Sounds wild, but kind of genius too.
One sentence here—just to breathe.
The hotel, if completed as planned, would be a sustainability milestone and a branding masterstroke. For both the gin and the actor.
Why the UK-India Trade Link Matters
This isn’t happening in a vacuum. Food and beverage are hot sectors in UK-India trade talks right now. Whisky, in particular, is booming. India’s the largest whisky-drinking country in the world—and exports from the UK to India rose 13.8% last year alone.
Rutland Square Spirits could ride that wave both ways. Gin from Scotland into Indian markets. And tea-infused innovation back the other way.
Here’s a quick snapshot of how trade in this sector is shaping up:
| Metric | Value (2024) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| UK Spirits Export to India | £146 million | +13.8% YoY |
| India’s Global Whisky Ranking | #1 by consumption | +4.5% YoY |
| India-UK FTA Status | In negotiations | Final round expected |
| Premium Gin Category Growth | 9.2% CAGR (global) | Rising in Asia & EU |
The potential is massive if tariffs drop and distribution channels open up.
A Cultural Crossover That Could Actually Work
Plenty of celebrity-backed ventures fizzle out, but this one feels different. Why? Because it’s not about slapping a name on a bottle. It’s co-creation, and it’s backed with purpose.
Veenu Sharma, Director at Rutland Square Spirits, summed it up nicely: “This partnership goes beyond investment. We’re celebrating craftsmanship and hospitality that both India and Scotland are proud of.”
And for Oberoi, this is as much about values as it is about valuation.
“This project is an exciting bridge between two economies and cultures,” he said in the official release. “Rutland Square Spirits is taking it a step further by curating a blended experience of Indian heritage. I am excited to begin the work of bringing it to life.”
It’s a sentiment that resonates. This isn’t just East meets West. It’s tea meeting tonic, Ayurveda meeting eco-tech, and an actor meeting artisan.
And maybe, just maybe, it’s the start of something special.
