MAM
Mudra adds McDowell’s whiskey to its kitty
MUMBAI: Mudra, has just added McDowell’s No.1 whiskey to its portfolio of brands. The creative business for McDowell’s will be handled from Bangalore.
Commenting on the win, Mudra South head and EVP
S Radhakrishnan says, ” We have been working with McDowell for the past nine years on the various brands. That has allowed us to showcase our creative abilities and strategic intent. McDowell has been happy with the kind of work we have done for them and suggestions on No.1 have resonated. The shift is, to our mind, a reward for the good work.”
Mudra Bangalore head Saurabh Saksena says, ” We will be handling No. ! on an All India Level. Given he fact that it is the largest whiskey brand in the country, quite obviously, it will be supported adequately across markets of interest. We firmly believe that as one of the strongest creative forces in the South, we will be able to do a lot on the brand. With this win, we will handle No. 1, Derby Special Whisky and developmental brands.”
McDowell No ! whiskey is a flagship brand of the UB Spirits division launched in the early 70’s, the brand is today the market leader, selling not just in India, but also in Canada, Dubai, Japan, etc. It is also the world’s fastest growing whisky brand and features among the ‘millionaire brands’ brands that sell over 1 million cases).
The Mudra South portfolio also includes brands such as Prestige, Henkel, Peter England, Paragon, TI Cycles, Epson Printer, Cycle Agarbatti, RmKV and Deccan Herald, Satyam, Malyalam Manorama among others.
Brands
From mega bills to spontaneous dates: Swiggy Dineout Valentine’s report
From mega bills to last-minute plans, India celebrated love with flair
MUMBAI: Valentine’s Day 2026 was a feast for the senses and wallets alike, according to Swiggy Dineout. India’s on-demand dining platform revealed how the nation celebrated romance with big gestures, lively nights out, and plenty of spontaneous bookings.
Metropolitan hubs continued to rule the roost with Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad seeing the most reservations. Emerging cities aren’t far behind, with Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Chandigarh joining the party. Growth was particularly striking in Surat (up 180 per cent), Vadodara (155 per cent) and Bhubaneswar (145.5 per cent) compared with the previous Saturday.
Mumbai stole the headlines with a single customer splashing out Rs 130,155 – the highest bill in the country. The city also hosted the largest single group booking, with 30 diners coming together to celebrate in style. Most Valentine’s transactions took place between 10pm and 11pm, proving love, and hunger, strike late.
Mumbai stole the spotlight with a mega-spender whose bill made everyone else blush, while savvy diners were cashing in on discounts, including a Pune customer saving 60% and another in Bengaluru saving 50 per cent. Fine dining was on fire, with bookings up 121 per cent year-on-year, though pubs, bars, and lounges remained the crowd favourites, accounting for 30.6 per cent of all reservations. Last-minute romance was the order of the day, with 66 per cent of diners booking within two hours of heading out. Together, India saved over Rs 6 crore, proving that love can be grand, yet thrifty.
Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi led the premium dining rush, showing a growing appetite for curated, high-end experiences. Meanwhile, spontaneous bookings reinforced modern lifestyles, where convenience and instant gratification rule the day.
Whether it was big spends, huge groups, or a last-minute romantic dash, Valentine’s Day 2026 proved love and dining go hand in hand – and sometimes, they go all out.
