India’s First Popcorn Vodka Arrives: Smoke Lab and AABBCC Bring a Global First to New Delhi
India’s first one-of-its-kind collaboration between Smoke Lab’s Varun Jain and AABBCC founder Jairaj Singh Solanki (Joy) brings an unconventional popcorn-inspired flavour to New Delhi, pushing the boundaries of innovation in India’s vodka category.
Smoke Lab Vodka, India’s pioneering premium rice vodka brand, has joined forces with Jairaj Singh Solanki (Joy), Founder of AABBCC, one of India’s acclaimed cocktail bars, to introduce Smoke Lab Popcorn Flavoured Vodka. When nostalgia meets innovation, an unexpected spirit is born. This distinctive new expression captures the familiar, caramel-buttery character of popcorn and carries it into the world of vodka, turning a much-loved flavour memory into an inventive spirit. The launch pushes the boundaries of flavours and cocktail culture, debuting in New Delhi on 4th November 2026, exclusively at AABBCC.
At the heart of the collaboration are two people who have consistently challenged convention in their fields. Varun Jain, Founder & CEO of Smoke Lab, has been instrumental in building India’s flavoured vodka category and taking Indian vodka to the international stage. He is known for an experimental approach to flavour and for treating vodka as a canvas for creativity. Jairaj Solanki is the creative force behind AABBCC, with an instinct for turning familiar ingredients and experiences into something extraordinary.
The vodka is the result of each doing what they do best. Jain brought the spirits expertise, building the smooth, clean base that carries the flavour. Solanki brought the flavour craft, shaping a popcorn profile that began as a signature cocktail at his bar. Solanki also leads the team behind Lair (No. 8, Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025), and AABBCC is one of only five Indian bars on Asia’s Top 100 Bars list and a TIME World’s Greatest Places 2026 pick. More than a product collaboration, Smoke Lab Popcorn Vodka celebrates the emotional connection people share with food, flavour and memory. It draws on the magic of cinema-going, childhood indulgences and the simple pleasure of a box of popcorn, and turns a universally familiar experience into an unconventional spirits offering.
The collaboration is further brought to life through a cinematic campaign video conceptualised around the idea of taking a familiar movie-time indulgence beyond the cinema and into the world of contemporary cocktail culture. It offers glimpses of the Smoke Lab Popcorn Vodka bottle and the spirit being served at AABBCC, bringing the new expression into focus. Shot in a rich visual palette of deep reds and golden hues, the film captures the thought behind the association, drawing on nostalgia and the ethos of flavour evolution.
Varun Jain, Founder & CEO, Smoke Lab, said, “For us, vodka has been a canvas for experimentation. Popcorn was one of those ideas that immediately felt like an evergreen flavour, but translating that into vodka required a lot of refinement. Working with Joy made that possible. He understands flavour the way few people do, and together we turned a cocktail experiment into an expression that deserves its own place in India.”
Inspired by the original red-and-white striped popcorn box, the vodka arrives in a vibrant red bottle with a bold white ‘S’ outlined in black, a nod to the classic Smoke Lab identity with a personality of its own. Made for seekers of unconventional flavours, it works chilled over ice or as a base for inventive cocktails, giving bartenders a new playground to reinterpret familiar serves through a popcorn-led lens.
Jairaj Solanki (Joy), Founder, AABBCC, said, “Popcorn is hands down one of the most loved snacks in the world, and I have always been a personal fan. I couldn’t stop thinking about how to bring some real innovation to it, and the idea of turning that buttery, caramelised warmth into a spirit kept pulling me back. For that, I needed the right partner, and Smoke Lab Vodka was the best choice. Varun brought the spirits’ expertise and the rigour, and together we created a flavour unlike anything India has tasted before, and we’re proud that it’s launching at home, in Delhi, at AABBCC.”
The launch also reflects the growing appetite for experimental, flavour-forward drinking, where consumers increasingly look beyond conventional spirit profiles for novelty, storytelling and discovery. As a limited-edition expression, Smoke Lab Popcorn Flavoured Vodka will initially be available exclusively at AABBCC in New Delhi, with more cities to follow soon. With Popcorn Vodka, Smoke Lab and AABBCC invite consumers to rethink what vodka can taste like and show that the most unexpected collaborations can make the biggest impression.
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