The rise of “World Whiskies” and the evolution Indian distilleries

You might remember that a few years back, a debate roiled the Japanese whisky industry — i.e., that the whisky wasn’t wholly Japanese.

In the mid-2010s, the global demand for Japanese whisky skyrocketed, catching many distilleries off guard.

With a sudden surge in popularity, distilleries found themselves with a shortage of aged whiskies, a problem similar to what Scotch single malt producers faced earlier in the decade.

While the Scots addressed their shortage by introducing no-age-statement (NAS) whiskies, Japanese distilleries took a different route. They began sourcing whisky distilled outside of Japan, particularly from Scotland and Canada, and aging and bottling it as Japanese whisky.

This practice eventually drew scrutiny from both consumers and regulators, leading to changes in the laws governing what could be legally labeled as Japanese whisky.

In response to the new regulations, Japanese distilleries adopted various strategies. For instance, Nikka continued selling its popular “Nikka From The Barrel” whisky, which reportedly includes Scotch whisky from Ben Nevis, but stopped labeling it as Japanese whisky.

On the other hand, Suntory took a more transparent approach by launching “Ao,” a blend it proudly marketed as a “world whisky” containing distillates from five different countries.

Indian Whisky: Navigating Lax Regulations and Emerging on the Global Stage

In contrast, the whisky regulations in India are relatively lenient. Many of the country’s top-selling brands are distilled from molasses, which classifies them closer to rum than whisky by international standards. As a result, these products often cannot be legally labeled as whisky when exported.

However, Indian single malts that do adhere to stricter production standards, such as those from Amrut, Paul John, and Rampur distilleries, are gaining recognition and respect on the global stage.

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Rampur Distillery, located near the Himalayan foothills and operational since 1943, is one such player making waves internationally.

While the distillery has been producing malt whisky for decades using traditional copper pot stills, it only began bottling its products under the Rampur name in 2015.

Rampur’s Sangam: A New Entry in the “World Whisky” Category

Rampur’s latest offering, “Sangam,” is branded as a “World Malt Whisky.”

This blend includes whisky from the Rampur distillery, combined with other whiskies sourced from unspecified traditional European origins and possibly from the New World (likely Scotland and Canada).

The distillery has not disclosed specific details about the other distilleries involved, the exact aging process, or the duration of the blend’s maturation before bottling.

In India’s warm climate, spirits tend to mature faster than in cooler regions like Scotland, making traditional age statements less significant.

As the whisky world continues to evolve, the emergence of “World Whiskies” like Rampur Sangam reflects the growing trend of blending and marketing whiskies from multiple regions, offering consumers a unique and diverse drinking experience.