Indian whisky

Indian whisky is a distilled alcoholic beverage that is labelled as "whisky" in India. Much Indian whisky is based on spirits that are distilled from fermented molasses. Outside of India, such a drink would more likely be labelled a rum (some brands can be about 12% malt whisky, with the rest fermented molasses). [ [http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=265802&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__business/ "Battle for the world's largest whisky market -- India"] - South Africa Mail & Guardian, Mar. 3, 2006, accessed June 25, 2007] [ [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115653128082145738-search.html "Where 'Whisky' Can Be Rum"] , from "The Wall Street Journal", Aug 26, 2006, accessed October 21, 2007]

Indian whisky and Scotch whisky

The drinking of Scotch whisky was introduced into India during the nineteenth century, during the period of the British Raj. Scotch style whisky is the most popular sort of distilled alcoholic beverage in India, though India has traditionally been thought to lack a domestic drinking culture. [ [http://www.ias.org.uk/resources/publications/theglobe/globe200502/gl200502_p7.html "India:Alcohol and public health"] , from "The Globe", Global Alcohol Policy Alliance, 2005, issue 2 (Accessed June 25, 2007)] Whisky, however, has become fashionable for wealthier Indians, and as such the market for whisky among affluent Indians is one of the largest in the world. ["Battle for the world's largest whisky market -- India", Mail & Guardian, above.]

90% of the "whisky" consumed in India is molasses based [ [http://www.beveragedaily.com/news/ng.asp?id=48996-india-stretches-whisky "India stretches whisky market lead"] , Beverage Daily, Jan. 13, 2004, accessed June 25, 2007] , although India has begun to distil whisky from malt and other grains. [ [http://www.amrutdistilleries.com/ Official web site] of Amrut Distilleries, accessed June 25, 2007] Brand names of Indian molasses whisky, including "Bagpiper", "McDowell's No. 1" [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1630540,00.html "The Whisky Rebellion"] , "Time" magazine, June 7, 2007, accessed June 25, 2007] , and the partially malt based "MaQintosh" [Official website of Amrut Distilleries, above] suggest that the inspiration behind the Indian whiskies is Scotch whisky, despite these products being chiefly made from molasses.

Indian Whisky Brands

* Mcdowell's No.1
* Signature
* Bagpiper
* Seagrams Blender's Pride
* Royal Stag
* Imperial Blue
* Royal Challenge

Trade controversy

The consumption of native distilled molasses based whisky in India is encouraged by tariff barriers that impose a significant markup of up to 52.5% on imported whiskies in India. [""Battle for the world's largest whisky market -- India", Mail & Guardian, above] Imported Scotch whisky bottled under its own brand makes up only 1% of the total market share. The substantial tax markup on imported whiskies has been categorized by the Scotch Whisky Association as "pure protectionism". ["The Whisky Rebellion", "Time" magazine, above.]

Under Mallya's direction, United Breweries has been acquiring a number of noted whisky brands and distilleries in Scotland, including Dalmore, Isle of Jura, and Whyte & Mackay. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6659779.stm "Whisky giant sold to billionaire"] , BBC News, May 16, 2007, accessed June 25, 2007] United Breweries has been increasing production at its Scottish facilities, and has moved to double the production of whisky at Invergordon. Vijay Mallya, CEO of the Indian beverage company United Breweries, also sits as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India. Some of the Scotch whisky so produced is used to blend with the Indian molasses whisky. ["The Whisky Rebellion", "Time" magazine, above.]

Indian distillers, by contrast, accuse the European Community of erecting its own sort of trade barriers by means of rules that forbid the marketing of molasses based spirits as "whisky". Mallya has objected to the EC's refusal of entry to molasses based whiskies, claiming that the "imposition of British imperialism is unacceptable". ["The Whisky Rebellion", "Time" magazine, above] In a lawsuit brought in India by the Scotch Whisky Association, the Delhi High Court enjoined Indian whisky manufacturers from labelling their product with the words "Scot" or "Scotch". [ [http://www.hk-imail.singtao.com/news_print.asp?art_id=17241&sid=7640835 "If it's Indian it can't be Scotch, court tells India's whiskey makers"] , "The Standard", April 25, 2006, accessed June 28, 2007.]

Manufacturers of Indian whisky

*United Spirits, a division of United Breweries [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1253980.cms Times of India] profile]
*Amrut Distilleries

ee also

*Indian Made Foreign Liquor

References

External links

* [http://www.gourmetindia.com/pgview.php?id=234 The Anomalies of Drinking in India] , Sharad Bailur, Mumbai, India