The Indian Whisky Consumer and the Emergence of the Indian Single Malts

The Indian Single Malt industry has seen a lot of developments in the last few years. There is a general growing interest in the Indian malts both within India as well as abroad. It is a well known fact that India is the largest consumer of whisky in the world. However, the brands that dominate the Indian masses are not malt based whiskeys. They are mostly made from molasses and would be more Rum than whisky. However, there is a growing interest in the drinking population towards the malt whiskeys.

The general casual whisky drinker generally starts with local molasses based whisky and graduates to the likes of Signature, Antiquity, Blenders Pride etc. These whiskeys are malt based and are molasses free. People like these because they are relatively smooth and sweet. They can be had with water. The molasses based ones preferred by a large segment of Indians are generally harsh and people like to mix carbonated water or soft drinks.

As the income rises and the casual drinker gets access to the well known brands, he generally opts for the well known names such as Johnnie Walker or Jack Daniels. Johnnie Walker is a blended scotch whisky and the variants available at multiple price points. The Black label is considered to be the premium and the Blue label ultra premium. Once the familiarity with this increases, the person goes for the next available scotch brands such as Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s etc. Further, the access to duty free personally or via friends and family prompts the person to try the Scottish single malts. The most well known Scottish malts such as Glenlivet and Glenfiddich are the next destination.

Many people get stuck at these levels and usually prefer one of the imported Scotch whisky depending on the prices. The current prices across India vary greatly. The state of Goa which is known for its party culture has the lowest prices. Since last year, the NCR region which comprises of Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida give a very tight competition to Goa. The prices in these regions are very less compared to say other cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore or Kolkata.

Now the staunch aficionados of whisky do not stop at the imported whisky and have an open mind to try the Indian Single Malts. The Indian Single malts have emerged as a separate category in the last few years. There are a few well known names that have won global accolades and this also prompts an Indian to give a try to these whisky. These whiskeys have been made in India (not just bottled) at Indian climate conditions. Unlike Scotland, the aging of the whisky in India happens much faster and hence there is no need to age for say like 8 years or 10 years. Most Single malts are aged for about 3-4 years and most of these do not really come with age statement.

The tipping point of the Indian Single malts was way back in 2010 when Jim Murray of Whisky Bible rated the iconic Amrut Fusion as the third best Whisky in the world. After this, the Indian Single malts were taken seriously outside India. In India, the availability of Amrut was limited for the first few years. Amrut Distilleries which is based on Bangalore is a quite popular Indian Single malt both in India as well as outside. Amrut Fusion was crafted with Indian barley and Scottish toasted barley (hence named as fusion). Amrut Distilleries was established way back in 1947 and was an experienced bottler and maker of whiskeys for many years. Even in 2011-2012, the revenue contribution from single malts was less than 5%. In Recent times, the company has expanded capacity and it is heartening to see Amrut single malts available in India.

John Distilleries launched an Indian single malt in 2012 in the UK under then name Paul John and has never looked back ever since. With new launches and variants very regularly, the availability of Paul John Whisky in India is quite high. They have much more number of variants available at various price points. The Paul John Nirvana is an entry level single malt and is selling like hot cakes in the Indian market. The Paul John Bold, Brilliant and Edited are available in multiple stores. The distillery is based in Goa and is well known to accommodate distillery tours. This has boosted its presence on social media.

The success of Amrut and Paul John has sparked a sort of revolution in the Indian single malt industry, with newer players appearing each year. Radico Khaitan launched a premium Single Malt with the name of the place (Rampur). It was received very well, and the company has launched several expressions. The availability of Rampur series is limited in Southern part of India.

The last couple of years have seen the emergence of Indri (by Piccadilly Agro), GianChand (by Devans distillery) and Kamet. Each of them has won the hearts of the Indian consumer. As I write this, the availability of these in Bangalore is very limited. Peter Scot which was a well known brand of Khodays has launched a Single malt variant which is known to be receiving good response. Mohan Meakin, the maker of the iconic Old Monk rum has also launched Solan Gold single malt. It is too early to understand the impact these single malts make in India or globally. Generally, the Indri and GianChand have received good responses. The liquor giant Diageo has taken notice of the Indian Single Malts as a category and launched Godawan.

It is interesting to note that the Scottish Single Malts have a unique legacy associated with him either in terms of the time they were started or their location which is strategic with enough supply of clean water. For example, the Islay whisky has a distinctive taste compared to the Highlands. The Indian single malt makers have definitely studied this and package the Indian heritage in their marketing and location of distilleries. Amrut indicates nectar or an elixir for immortality. Paul John is located in the coastal state of Goa with tropical climate and natural beauty. GianChand is in Jammu & Kashmir. Rampur is in the city of Rampur. Godawan packages the beautiful Rajasthan. The next decade is going to be very interesting both for the companies and the consumers. The Indian consumer is evolving, and a lot of the current blended whisky drinkers are sure to start consuming the Indian Single malts more. The popularity of the Indian Single Malts in the west is also seeing a lot of traction and is expected to increase.