How Indian Single Malts are Making a Splash Among Whiskey Connoisseurs

In march, when the results for the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) were announced for 2022, the Indian single malt whisky industry rejoiced. Of the 10 awards that went to India, four were for single malts. Leading the pack was John Distilleries—with breweries in Goa—that has been making Indian single malts under the name Paul John since 2012. Three of its variants—Mithuna, Oloroso, and Pedro Ximenez won awards. With a spectacular score of 95 out of 100, Mithuna by Paul John was the only Indian spirit to be conferred a gold medal. Part of the Paul John Zodiac series, Mithuna—named after the Gemini sign—is no stranger to awards, having been declared the third best whisky in the world by famed reviewer Jim Murray in the 2021 edition of his iconic Whisky Bible.

Indri-Trini, launched by Haryana-based Piccadily Distilleries late last year, won a silver at the IWSC. It has also won a slew of other awards including a gold at the International Spirits Challenge 2022, all within a few months of launch. What makes it different is that liquid from three different casks—bourbon, French red wine and PX sherry—is married together to get the expression called Trini. Indri is the name of the village where the distillery is located.

For most connoisseurs, single malts are synonymous with the Scottish Highlands. But a bunch of Indian distilleries is creating a mark on the global whisky landscape with a range of sophisticated, locally brewed single malts.

“Indian single malts are certainly creating a niche for themselves as there is a gradual but steady transition from global single malts to Indian single malts,” says Hemanth Rao, Founder of the Single Malt Amateur Club that has around 4,500 active members.

It started over a decade ago when Bengaluru-based Amrut Distilleries’ Indian single malt, Amrut Fusion, was rated the third finest whisky in the world in 2010 by the Whisky Bible, putting Indian single malts on the globe. While Amrut has been in the liquor business since 1948, it was only in 2004 that it decided to launch Indian single malts. Says Rakshit Jagdale, Managing Director of Amrut Distilleries, “I was doing my MBA in the UK and as part of my thesis my father wanted me to check if there was potential to market an Indian single malt whisky in UK. We did a lot of sampling and the response for Amrut was great.” Subsequently, it was launched in Scotland in 2004. “My father was very clear that we must sell this product abroad first. Get all the accolades and then introduce it in India. So it was only in 2011 that we launched in India,” says Jagdale. Since then things have only been on a high. Today India accounts for 60 per cent of Amrut’s sales, and Fusion—so called because it is made of 80 per cent Indian malted barley and 20 per cent Scottish peated barley—continues to be a bestseller. Whisky collectors look forward to Amrut’s limited edition luxury releases. The Greedy Angels 12-year-old, released in 2016, is priced at $1,000. Only 15 cases (each with 12 bottles) were released globally and while US stocks are completely sold out, you may be able to pick up a bottle in Europe. In July, Amrut will launch the Greedy Angels 8-year-old, priced at Rs 16,000. Only 48 individually numbered bottles will be available in India. Another limited edition is the Fusion XI, being launched in July-August to celebrate Fusion’s 11th anniversary. Priced at Rs 25,000, only 200 cases will be launched globally, half in India.

“Indian single malts are becoming more popular every day, posing competition to Scotch. According to industry associations, single malt brands have grown almost seven-fold in six years, accounting for over a third of the market compared to only 15 per cent in 2017,” says Vikram Damodaran, Chief Innovation Officer of Diageo India. Diageo launched an artisanal Indian single malt called Godawan in March. Distilled at Alwar, it is currently available only in Delhi and Rajasthan. Godawan, which made an appearance at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, will be launched globally by the end of May.

Another home-grown player, Radico Khaitan, has its own single malt whisky called Rampur. Distilled at its distillery in Rampur, near Moradabad, the Rampur Select was introduced to the world in 2016 at Las Vegas. Since then, Radico has launched different variants including the Rampur Double Cask, where the malted whisky spends two-thirds of its life in American bourbon casks and the rest in sherry oloroso casks. And its latest, Rampur Asava, launched during the pandemic, is the first single malt matured in American bourbon barrels and finished in Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks. “The temperature at Rampur varies from 42-43 degree Celsius in summer to 2 degrees in winter, so the malt interacts at a very aggressive pace with the cask,” says Sanjeev Banga, President of International Business at Radico Khaitan.

Rampur is exported to 38 countries. In the Indian market, only the Double Cask variant is available in NCR, UP, Rajasthan, Uttrakhand, and CSD canteens. The Asava is also for the global market but can be bought from the Delhi or Mumbai Duty Free. It’s priced at approximately $115. “We have tripled our malt distillation capacity. So, we will get additional volumes in 2023-24. That’s when we will roll out into more Indian markets as well as global markets,” says Banga. “Once global malt connoisseurs start recognising a brand, Indian consumers warm up to it,” he says, explaining Radico’s decision to focus on the export market.

So, how is an Indian single malt different from a Scottish one? The way a malt matures in a colder climate like Scotland varies from the way it matures in a tropical climate like India. While in Scotland, approximately 2 per cent of the liquid is lost to the environment annually; in India it’s up to 12 per cent. “You need to mature a whisky for 12 years in Scotland to get the same character as whisky matured in India for four years,” says Madhu Kanna, Global Business Head of Indri-Indian Single Malt, which launched first in India. The ideal age for an Indian single malt to be bottled is between five and seven years.

The other difference between Scotland and India is the barley. Scottish malts use the two-row barley that is rich in starch, and in India the six-row barley, rich in proteins is used. “When you break down proteins, you get more fatty acids in your whisky, which makes it aromatic and smooth on the palate. Two-row barley is more floral and maltier,” explains Kanna.

Vikram Achanta, Founder and CEO of Tulleeho—a drinks training and consulting firm—sums it up: “New players have broadened the Indian single malt category. Having five-six malts with various variants has provided many more points of reference for the Indian consumer, who is now more open to drinking Indian single malts.” Cheers! 

@smitabw