‘I wanted more': How near-death led entrepreneur to £30m gin breakthrough

“I wanted more,” said Nishant Sharma, 37, who arrived in the UK from India with just £500 in his pocket 18 years ago. Today, he is the founder of Rutland Square Spirits, a boutique craft gin distillery now valued at around £30million.

Like many successful entrepreneurs, Mr Sharma’s journey has been far from conventional. Bootstrapping his business from scratch, he hand-delivered bottles, sold at markets, and personally chased every listing. At one point, the father of two had just £25 left in his bank account, with no clear path forward. In 2023, the stress of the venture culminated in a near-fatal heart attack after a weekend trade show. Yet, his determination and tenacity didn’t waver. After three years of trial and error, 2024 became a turning point for Rutland Square Spirits.

Mr Sharma secured a £5million investment from an esteemed Bollywood actor. He said: “I shamelessly chased him.”

Today, the multi-million-pound company boasts listings in premium hotels such as the Waldorf Astoria, Hilton, and Marriott, and has secured distribution in 14 Indian airports, with further international expansion under way.

Mr Sharma said: “In February 2007, I came to Scotland looking for a better opportunity for myself. My uncle had lived in Glasgow since the 90s, and he had a business. He was very kind to give me lodging and look after me.”

After holding various jobs, Mr Sharma built a successful career in financial services, which he attributed to his wife, Veenu’s help, who he said “pulled him through”.

But despite his professional success, he felt unfulfilled. Inspired by his great-grandfather, Tej Ram Bawa, a pioneering distiller in Assam during the British Raj, Mr Sharma decided to abandon banking and pursue his passion for botanicals.

In 2021, he launched Rutland Square Spirits, introducing the world’s first White Oolong chai-infused Scottish gin, described as a “fusion of Indian flavour and Scottish craftsmanship”.

The gin is blended with tea from Dibrugarh, Assam, known as the “Tea Capital of the World”.

Despite this unique selling point, Mr Sharma said: “I would go out to distributors, and they would reject. I felt miserable. I had no idea what the route to market was, and I soon realised I had run out of money.

“So I kept on improving my pitch every time, based on whatever that point of rejection was. One distributor rejected me five times. It never stopped me. I think persistence pays. Something in me kept me going.”

That attribute led Mr Sharma to eventually secure a listing with that distiller, as well as several Indian airports in 2024. He then went on to chase “every rich Hollywood and Bollywood star consistently on social media” for an investment.

It was then that he got his big break, with one Bollywood actor and entrepreneur, Dr Vivek Anand Oberoi, acquiring a 21% stake in the business after a chance meeting in Dubai.

Together, they are now planning a £150million net zero luxury hotel in Edinburgh, combining "Indian hospitality, Ayurvedic wellness, and Scottish distilling heritage". The current plan is to launch the hotel first, and a sustainable gin distillery afterwards.

Mr Sharma said: “I’d like to bring money to Edinburgh, and generate jobs. Specifically in Lothian, where I live. It's a beautiful area.

“I want to bring revenue into Lothian. This is where my children’s future will be. Giving back is very much part of the business model."