Move over, Scotch, foreign whiskies; uncork desi spirits

NEW DELHI: Swirling, sniffing and sipping gently from snifter and other glasses, whisky connoisseurs are reaching out for Indian single malts lined up in upscale bar and store shelves along with the priciest and the best as they raise a toast to – and with – the likes of Amrut, Indri and Rampur.

Many of their names as Indian as their origins, the range of home grown single malts include Godawan and GianChand. Indians, the largest consumers of whisky in the world, are moving beyond their obsession with scotch and foreign made whiskeys to premium Indian brands.

The numbers show for it. Per the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) data, Indian single malts clocked “53 per cent” of total sales in 2023, surpassing for the first time established brands like Glenlivet, Macallan, Lagavulin, and Talisker. Out of around 6,75,000 cases (of nine litres each) of single malts sold in India last year, Indian producers, including Radico Khaitan, accounted for 3,45,000 cases,” Sanjeev Banga, president, international business, Radico Khaitan, said citing CIABC figures.

Radico Khaitan is the parent company of Rampur Distillery, behind Rampur Double Cask - available in India - and its six other expressions available globally. he new age Indian single malts are a revelation, said Vidhya Kohli who would earlier tap friends coming from abroad to get him imported brands from duty-free stores.

The 32-year-old, who recently moved to Los Angeles, has discovered a new favourite – Rampur Asava. And is even planning an ‘Indian whisky party’ for his American friends. ampur Asava, priced at $100, is meant for the export market and will be soon available in India as well. It won the Best World Whisky prize in the 2023 edition of the prestigious John Barleycorn Awards. “Indian single malts look premium, they taste good, pair well with our desi food, and when I sip it, I feel the soothing ‘Made in India’ warmth,” Kohli said. “I was a bit sceptical at first when I heard of Indian single malts. You can’t beat the liquor that comes from the Island of Islay, I thought. But several years ago I had some Amrut in Goa, and quite liked it. I am not surprised Indian single malts are on the rise, for there is a growing demand for single malts in India…,” said food critic Rahul Varma.

International brands are also aware of the change in sentiment of Indian consumers.

British brand Diageo, maker of Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky, launched its first Indian single malt Godawan in 2022. And last year, French brand Pernod Ricard, behind the bestselling international single malt Glenlivet, put Longitude 77.

“We intend to use our global footprint and build the (Indian single malt) brand not only in India but across the world, and we hope in doing so we’ll get our rightful place,” said Kartik Mohindra, chief marketing officer and head global business development of Pernod Ricard India.

The Made in India malt story began with Amrut launching the eponymous brand in 2004 in Glasgow. Six years later, in 2010, it entered the Indian market. Another early starter was Paul John, which introduced its single malt in the UK in 2012, and then to Indian consumers in 2013.

Multiple factors, including a surge in international awards for Indian single malts and a new generation with no inhibition towards Indian brands, have set the stage for India’s whisky transformation, said industry insiders. “The new generation, the one using social media and making things viral, are behind the soaring rise of Indian single malts. It is because they like to try new things and taste is what all matters to them. “In fact, they are the ones telling their fathers, ‘You have been drinking Scotch all your life, try this (Indian single malt) now,” said restaurateur Saurabh Luthra, founder-owner of Romeo Lane.