The Nepali Spirit Company is born of a love for history, culture, and spirits.
Rooted in Nepali heritage and its Kathmandu’s ancient rice spirits, inspired by the craftsmanship of American whiskies and the art of botanical spirits and liqueurs, we create small-batch spirits that are authentic in origin, meticulous in craft, distinctive in character, and what we hope is simply tasty.
The work for The Nepali Spirit Company started in 2018. It was registered in 2021, and launched in December 2025.
AYLA's Ancient Heritage:
When we say Heritage Craft Whiskey, we mean a couple of thousand years!
In Nepal, whiskey and wine have always been more than a drink. For over 2,000 years, they have been offerings to the gods, tributes to ancestors, and a part of the auspicious offerings in all of life’s milestones.
Among them is Ayla, the clear rice whiskey of Kathmandu Valley that is a thousand-year-old Living Heritage. Once poured in royal courts, Ayla continues to be required as a sacred offering even today for rituals and festivals in Kathmandu. Still made in small family batches across the valley, Ayla is both ancient and alive.
We are honored and proud to be the first international makers of Ayla and share this heritage with the world, staying true to its roots while giving it bold, new expressions.
About the Bottle:
“Every design element of our whiskey bottle and packaging is a love letter to Nepal, and every detail is an expression of respect and appreciation of Nepali heritage, tied together with our desire to share it with the world. And Ayla itself is a deeply pious part of our culture, so I wanted to make sure the bottle reflects reverence for it.”
– Kashish Das Shrestha, Founder & CEO
“We wanted the bottle itself to feel like a temple holding the sacred Ayla — and the golden strip on top felt like the most natural expression of that,” Kashish explained.
The Logo and Brand Language
The Nepali Spirit Company logo is inspired by the traditional unti, the vessel used to pour Ayla. While the unti’s top is typically adorned with a bird — often a peacock — the company’s design replaces it with grain stalks, honoring Nepal’s agricultural roots and the festivals and cultural traditions that follow the rhythm of planting and harvest from the mountains to the plains.
This motif continues through the label of ANNAPURNA WHISKEY, the company’s premium limited-edition series of cask-aged Ayla, named in honor of both the mountain and the goddess.
Limited Edition ANNAPURNA WHISKEY, with grain stalks in the main label, and a special metal top based on the logo.
Label Art and Cultural Tributes
KATHMANDU AYLA and MASALA WHISKEY feature an interpreted image of the Lakhey, the guardian spirit central to the Indra Jatra festival, a symbol of protection and celebration.
“Ayla and Lakhey are both such integral parts of Indra Jatra, by far the most important of all Kathmandu festivals,” said Kashish. “It was natural and important to honor the Lakhey and Indra Jatra on our label and introduce their stories to the world, which starts with our labels but will extend to other original digital content we will produce.”
MASALA WHISKEY comes packaged in a thick paper box illustrated with a watercolor of Ason, Kathmandu’s bustling cultural square. The box reads:
“At the heart of Kathmandu, Nepal, lies Ason [असं], the ancient six-alley crossroads where traders between India and Tibet converged for centuries. For over a millennium, Ason has been a vibrant stage for culture, commerce, and devotion. Everyday, it teems with pilgrims, pedestrians, and pigeons, while vendors sell everything needed for food, feasts, and rituals. Ason is also Nepal’s most iconic spice bazaar. Our MASALA WHISKEY™ is inspired by, and an homage to, this mesmerizing square.”
The box’s inner flaps pay further tribute: their black-and-red color scheme nods to the Haku Patasi, the traditional Newari dress, and the red cloth trimming Kathmandu’s pagoda temple roofs. Even the QR code carries meaning: its three red-eyed corners surround a golden Sri Yantra Mandala, symbolizing harmony, creation, and divine energy.
The Founding Story
Kashish Das Shrestha first developed the concept for The Nepali Spirit Company in 2018 and continued to refine it through the years, while also outlining his upcoming book on the history of alcohol in Nepali culture. In 2021, he officially registered the company in the United States with his wife, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Lilu KC Shrestha. In 2024, the company added board members Niraj Shrestha and Santosh Basnet as Chairman and Director, respectively.
“In 2018 I started visiting about five international whiskey auctions every month,” explained Kashish. “I found myself reading about 30,000 to 50,000 different bottles of spirits monthly. As my passion for understanding spirits grew, I also felt the urge to tell the story of Nepal’s heritage spirits to the world. That’s when the idea of writing The Book of Nepali Spirits and starting a company that makes Ayla and other spirits was born.”
Beyond sharing Ayla with the world, the founders saw a cultural need.
“For the diaspora, Nepali rituals now fill social calendars as busily in America and Australia as they do in Ason. There is a growing cultural importance in making Ayla available for our rituals, so the diaspora and next generations of Nepalis born abroad understand and have the option to continue their culture,” said Kashish.
“The Nepali Spirit Company is proud to be the first to bring Ayla to the global stage,” added Chairman Niraj Shrestha. “We honor its traditional form while also reimagining it in bold, contemporary expressions, with a global audience in mind.”
“We believe Ayla is a wonderful way to tell Nepal’s story to the world,” said Chief Operating Officer Lilu KC Shrestha. “As a company, we intend to use our platform to promote Nepal in any way we can, and also find ways to give back to the country.”
“It was high time a world-class Nepali spirits brand entered the global market, and we are proud to take the lead on that,” added Director Santosh Basnet.