Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Tí Po Apong, a heritage rice wine from Assam’s Mising community, secured a Grand Gold at the Spiritz Blind Tasting Awards 2026. This win came during the 13th Spiritz Conclave & Achievers’ Awards in Gurugram on October 7. The drink beat out 502 competing brands. Judges picked the winner in a blind tasting, lacking any data on origins or producers.
This project started during the Covid-19 pandemic to preserve traditional brewing while hitting commercial standards. Scientist Dr. Dipankar Kalita managed preservation, while entrepreneur Abhijit Pegu drove the commercial side. Self-Help Group women from Dhemaji district provided the essential brewing knowledge. Wine expert Ajoy Shaw, previously of Sula Vineyards, refined the quality and consistency.
Dr. Dipankar Laboratories Pvt Ltd developed the product to bridge heritage and modern hygiene. The team now plans to push the brand into national and international markets as a heritage drink from Northeast India. This marks a new era for indigenous beverages. "The recognition could also bring greater attention to other traditional fermented beverages of Northeast India, many of which continue to remain largely within local markets despite their cultural and culinary importance." The Mising community sees this as a vital step to share their traditions with the wider world.
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