Say goodbye to jostling at off-shops and say hello to Hedonne — a one-of-akind experiential alcohol store in the city that has opened doors. Located on Lee Road, this 7,500sq ft store that’s divided across floors is a treasure trove for alcohol shopping! Owned by Mayank Shroff, Anant Shroff, Vikash Musaddi, Anurag Murarka and Vikas Murarka, Hedonne is a passion project by all five of them with a common love for spirits. “We got the name Hedonne as an inspiration from Hedone, the ancient Greek personified spirit of pleasure and enjoyment. The idea of opening something like this came because we felt the city never had a luxe store to shop from. We saw Discovery Wines in Delhi and other places in Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad and decided to get an exclusive place like this. It did take a lot of effort to execute it as it was a challenge but then things fell in place,” said Anurag, Vikas, Anant and Mayank.
Besides a posh ambience, there is also a Tasting Room with a separate menu that will help you shop better. “It is almost impossible for women to go to an off-shop and get a bottle because the queues are long, the crowd profile is mixed. With Hedonne we want to give them a safe ambience where they don’t feel uncomfortable. Plus, our prices are same as off-shops,” said Vikas.
The store has two sommeliers for wine and other spirits who will guide and educate you while you are buying alcohol. There are hundreds of brands, some regular and some newly registered brands for the first time in the city.
Besides tipple, there is an upcoming cigar section that will stock Cuban and Latin American cigars.
Ahead of its launch today evening, t2 dropped in for an exclusive first look and here’s what we liked...
The first floor has dedicated zones for vodka, wines, gin, liqueurs and rum.
Beautifully done with plush chairs, this 40-seater The Tasting Room has a set menu that has bottles priced at Rs 10,000 and above. So if you want to try out a brand from that list, you have the option of trying it before buying. However, this is not free of cost. Prices start from Rs 300-350 for 30ml of the alcohol.
The wine collection is massive! There are specific segment for wines from Italy, France, Australia, India and World (wines from rest of the countries put together).
(L-R) Vikash Musaddi, Anurag Murarka, Vikas Murarka, Mayank Shroff and Anant Shroff, owners of Hedonne
Besides the usual beer brands in the market, you will find Peroni and Coopers beer available. Rs 480 and Rs 475 for a pint respectively.
Once you enter, you will see a dedicated section for various kinds of munchies or chaknas with different spirits. From chocolate-coated almonds, roasted nuts to healthy quinoa chips, it’s all there.
Most expensive vodka: Roberto Cavalli Vodka Gold, Rs 8,670
Most expensive rum: Bacardi Reserve Ocho, Rs 2,950
Most expensive wines: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio (Italian white wine): Rs 3,490 Black Tower Pinot Noir (German Rosé): Rs 2,250 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello (Italian red wine): Rs 26,415
Most expensive whisky: Aberlour 18 year old scotch whisky, Rs 16,300
Go alcohol shopping with trolleys as Hedonne ensures your shopping experience is hasslefree.
To help you shop smoothly without any confusion, there is the Alcopedia that has touch sensor via which you can choose your spirit and then it will show you the brands available, along with the tasting notes of the same. Shop while your learn too!
We totally loved the gifting section where one could choose the spirit bottle you wish to gift someone and you can have them beautifully gift-wrapped along with things that will go with it. For example, a bottle of wine can be paired with grapes and cheese. There is a dedicated brochure you can choose the design from. Charges start at Rs 1,000 excluding alcohol bottle.
Hedonne stocks bar accessories too! From wine chillers, whisky chilling cubes, wine pourers to glasses — there is everything! They have an upcoming cigar section, so you would find cigar cutters too.