Top 10 whisky brands in India – Which is your favourite on the list?

Popular whisky brands in India make whisky typically from a blend of grains, including malted barley, corn, wheat, and sometimes even a touch of molasses-derived spirit. The unique climate in India, with extreme temperatures and humidity, accelerates the ageing process, resulting in whiskies with distinctive flavours. Let’s go through the top 10 whisky brands in India!

Top 10 whisky brands in India

Below, we have compiled a list of the popular whisky brands in India, arranged in ascending order based on the number of cases sold in 2023.

Rank & Whisky Brand	Company	Number of Cases Sold in 2023 (in millions)
#1 McDowell’s No.1	United Spirits	31.4
#2 Royal Stag	Pernod Ricard India	27.9
#3 Officer’s Choice	Allied Blenders and Distillers	23.4
#4 Imperial Blue	Pernod Ricard India	22.8
#5 8PM	Radico Khaitan	12.2
#6 Blenders Pride	Pernod Ricard India	9.6
#7 Royal Challenge	United Spirits	8.6
#8 Sterling Reserve	Allied Blenders and Distillers	5.1
#9 Director’s Special	United Spirits	3.3
#10 Signature	ADS Spirits	2.9

Source: Brand Champions 2024 - The Spirits Business

Now, let’s learn more about these top-selling whisky brands in India:

McDowell's No. 1

• Owned by: United Spirits Ltd (USL)
• Introduced: 1963–64

McDowell's No. 1 is one of the popular whisky brands in India. It was launched in 1963 and has since grown to become not only the top-selling whisky brand in India but also one of the top in the world. The brand is part of the portfolio of Diageo India, a leading beverage alcohol company in the country.

The unique aspect of McDowell's No. 1 is its composition, which is a blend of imported Scotch and select Indian malts. As part of its marketing efforts, McDowell's No. 1 has been actively involved in Bollywood and cricket, associating itself with various films and sporting events. It has also sponsored music concerts.

Royal Stag

• Owned by: Pernod Ricard
  
• Introduced: 1995

Royal Stag, also known as Seagram's Royal Stag, is a prominent Indian whisky brand that was introduced in 1995. Now owned by Pernod Ricard, it redefined India's spirits space by pioneering the blending of Indian grain spirits with imported Scotch malts. Notably, it was the first whisky in India that did not use any artificial flavourings.

Royal Stag has achieved significant success over the years. It is known for its exceptional quality and affordability and is available in various pack sizes in numerous countries worldwide.

Also Read: 'Indri Whisky has carved a place for itself as one of the best whiskies in not just India but the world': Surrinder Kumar, master blender, Piccadily Distilleries

Officer’s Choice

• Owned by: Allied Blenders & Distillers
• Introduced: 1988

Officer's Choice, abbreviated as OC, is a prominent Indian whisky brand owned by Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD), formerly known as BDA. Introduced in 1988, Officer's Choice was initially targeted at daily wage earners. The brand has evolved over the years, introducing premium versions like Officer's Choice Blue and Officer's Choice Black to cater to a broader audience.

Officer's Choice's success is attributed to its affordable pricing and widespread appeal. Kishore Chhabria is the man behind the brand. His vision was to provide a sense of high status at a low price, which was achieved through the brand's name and packaging, featuring naval officer stripes.

The brand's 35th anniversary in 2023 was marked by the release of a Limited Edition Officer’s Choice Blended Scotch Whisky,which was distilled, blended, and bottled in Scotland.

Imperial Blue

• Owned by: Pernod Ricard
• Introduced: 2000
  

Imperial Blue, also known as Seagram's Imperial Blue, is an Indian whisky brand owned by Pernod Ricard. Launched in India in 2000, it is renowned for its superior blend of Indian grain spirits and imported Scotch malts.

Since 2002, when it became part of Pernod Ricard, Imperial Blue has seen consistent growth and has managed to retain its position as one of the top-selling whisky brands in India.

The brand has been successfully marketed with the 'Men will be Men' campaign, known for its quirky messaging. This campaign has gained a cult status in India.

Imperial Blue has also made strategic associations with music and football to connect with its target audience, indicating its focus on resonating with younger demographics.

8PM

• Owned by: Radico Khaitan Ltd
• Introduced: 1988

8PM is a flagship whisky brand of Radico Khaitan Ltd, one of the largest Indian spirits makers. Launched in 1998, 8PM quickly established itself in the Indian whisky market. It is notable for its achievement of selling one million cases in its first year of launch, a feat that earned it a place in the Limca Book of Records 2001, an Indian record book similar to the Guinness World Records.

The 8PM Premium Black is notable for its fruity and sweet aroma with a hint of peat, offering a well-balanced bouquet. The taste profile includes a medium body with a slight sweetness and a hint of fruitiness, leading to a rich and medium finish.

Blenders Pride

• Owned by: Pernod Ricard
• Introduced: 2001
  

Blenders Pride is a premium Indian whisky brand, launched in 1995 and owned by Pernod Ricard. It is known for blending Indian grain spirit and imported Scotch malts from Chivas Brothers. This combination has contributed to the brand's smooth and smoky profile, making it one of the top whisky brands in India.

The brand has been part of the Pernod Ricard group since 2001. Blenders Pride has consistently maintained a position as a high-quality whisky tailored to the tastes of whisky enthusiasts in India.

Blenders Pride also offers a Reserve Collection, launched in 2011, which caters to discerning whisky enthusiasts with an evolved fruity palate.

Royal Challenge

• Owned by: United Spirits Ltd (USL)
• Introduced: ~1980

Royal Challenge, abbreviated as RC, is a distinguished brand of Indian whisky. Launched in the early 1980s, it is manufactured by United Spirits Ltd, a subsidiary of the global beverage alcohol company Diageo. The whisky is known for its unique blend, which includes about 12% Scotch whiskies mixed with Indian malt, while the rest is a molasses-based neutral grain spirit. This composition is common in producing "Indian Made Foreign Liquor," the official designation for Indian whisky.

Royal Challenge became the first whisky brand to reach the 1 million cases benchmark within the mid-prestige price segment.

Furthermore, Royal Challenge was recognised for its quality by winning the best Indian Whisky Gold at The International Whisky Competition in 2011.

Sterling Reserve

• Owned by: Allied Blenders and Distilleries
• Introduced: 2017

Sterling Reserve is a premium blended Indian whisky brand from Allied Blenders and Distilleries, also known for their popular brand, Officer’s Choice. Sterling Reserve has gained notable recognition in the Indian whisky market, particularly for its two variants: Blend 7 and Blend 10. Sterling Reserve was named the Indian Whisky Brand Champion for three consecutive years, up to 2021.

Sterling Reserve has been actively promoting its brand through various campaigns, including advertising during major events like the Indian Premier League.

Director’s Special

• Owned by: United Spirits Ltd (USL)
• Introduced: 1988

This whisky is commonly known as DSP. Shaw Wallace & Company Limited initially launched the product in 1988. Before merging with United Spirits in 2005, Shaw Wallace won a legal battle in the US against the Scotch Whisky Association to sell this product as a whisky. The battle was fought because DSP is a molasses-based drink. DSP only debuted on the list in 2023 and has already registered a sales growth of 8.6 percent. It is one of the four brands on the list owned by United Spirits.

Signature

• Owned by: United Spirits Ltd (USL)
• Introduced: 1994

McDowell's stablemate was launched in 1994. It is a blend of 10 imported scotches, aged Indian malts, and fine grain spirits. It comes in two variants: Signature Rare and Signature Premier.

Signature Premier Whisky contains notes of honey, fruits, and a tinge of malt, while Signature Rare has notes of dried fruits and nuts. This is a three-grain whisky blended with Indian malts and grain spirits. The brand saw an increase in sales by 15.9 percent. According to Spirits Business magazine, Signature is one of only two brands on their list of the biggest-selling Indian whiskies to show double-digit growth.