Smoke Lab Vodka and the night raw mango rewrote the rules

Nikita Nikalje
9 hours ago
4 min read

There are tastings that feel rehearsed. This one didn’t. We found ourselves seated with glasses already poured, the bottle placed casually at the centre of the table, no instructions attached. The label read Green Chilli Mango. The colour was unmistakable. And the mood suggested this wasn’t going to be a safe conversation. This was our introduction to Smoke Lab Vodka, not as a product pitch, but as an experience. One that unfolded slowly, sip by sip, thought by thought, the way good evenings usually do.

Smoke Lab Vodka Green Chilli Mango bottle with martini glass garnish, styled editorial vodka photography

First impressions, no filters

The first pour was neat. No ice, no garnish, no apology. On the nose, raw mango announces itself immediately. Sharp, green, almost nostalgic. It’s the smell of summer before sweetness takes over, of mangoes sliced too early and eaten with salt and chilli. The green chilli follows closely, restrained but present, adding warmth rather than aggression.

The first sip is bright and tangy. Raw mango leads with its natural acidity, clean and assertive. The chilli steps in next, grounding the flavour instead of overpowering it. There’s a savoury edge here that keeps the vodka tight and structured. The finish is long, warm, and quietly confident, leaving behind a gentle hum rather than a burn. This is not a novelty flavour. It doesn’t rely on shock or sweetness to win you over. It feels deliberate. We went back for a second sip almost immediately.

Letting Smoke Lab Vodka settle in

As the evening stretched, we tried the vodka in different ways. A single cube of ice. A splash of soda. Each variation revealed something new without stripping away its character. With ice, the raw mango softened slightly, becoming rounder but never dull. The chilli mellowed, turning aromatic rather than spicy. With soda, the vodka felt playful, refreshing, almost dangerous in how easy it was to drink. What stood out was how well Smoke Lab Vodka held its shape. It didn’t disappear when diluted. It didn’t need embellishment to feel complete. That’s when the conversation turned to what goes into the bottle.

Built differently, by design

Smoke Lab Vodka is crafted from locally sourced basmati rice and demineralised water. It’s distilled five times and refined through a proprietary two-step Sparkle Filtration process, designed to deliver clarity without stripping flavour. It’s carbon-neutral, gluten-free, vegan, and kosher, but those details feel like quiet footnotes rather than selling points. The real story is how the vodka carries flavour without losing smoothness. You can taste the intention. This is a vodka that expects you to pay attention.

The thinking behind the flavour

At some point, the tasting became less about the glass and more about the idea. Varun Jain joined us for an unfiltered conversation about why Indian flavours are so often misunderstood in the spirits space. Either they’re reduced to nostalgia, or exaggerated for effect. There’s rarely room for balance.

Green Chilli Mango, he explained, was never meant to be sweet or comforting. The choice of raw mango was deliberate. It brings sharpness, memory, and tension to the palate. The chilli exists to support that sharpness, not to dominate it. The aim was to create a vodka that feels instinctively Indian without leaning on clichés. Listening to him, it became clear that Smoke Lab Vodka isn’t chasing mass approval. It’s comfortable being specific.

Where this vodka belongs

As the night unfolded, it became obvious where this vodka fits. It works when you’re hosting friends who care about what’s in their glass. It works at a dinner where the food has heat and acidity of its own. It even works alone, poured slowly, when the drink becomes the evening’s focal point. This is not a vodka designed to disappear into mixers. It wants to be noticed, but not fussed over. That balance is rare.

Smoke Lab Vodka in the larger Indian spirits story

Indian spirits are in a moment of transition. Drinkers are more curious, more informed, and less interested in playing it safe. There’s room now for brands that trust their audience.

Smoke Lab Vodka understands this shift. It doesn’t dress itself up in unnecessary luxury language. It doesn’t pretend to be global by erasing its roots. Instead, it leans into flavour, craft, and restraint.

Green Chilli Mango feels like a statement without shouting. It sparks conversation without demanding validation. And that’s what stayed with us long after the tasting ended.

Why Smoke Lab Vodka matters right now

This wasn’t just about trying a new vodka. It was about experiencing a brand that knows exactly who it’s speaking to. Smoke Lab Vodka isn’t asking to be compared to anything else. It’s carving out its own space, one flavour at a time. The raw mango stays with you. So does the thought behind it.