Top 10 Best Selling Scotch Whisky Brands in India

India is considered a nation of whisky drinkers consuming some of the best scotch whisky brands available today. Here is a list of the top 10 popular scotch whiskey brands in India. Scotch beverage is made using barley along with other grains and aging them for at least 3 years, in Scotland.

India consumes more than 50% of the total whisky consumption in the world and ranks 9 in the world as far as per capita whisky consumption is concerned. Some of the important whisky consuming cities of India are Chennai; Bangalore; Chandigarh; and Delhi.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS OF THIS ARTICLE

• What are the top 10 scotch whisky brands in India
• Which is the highest selling scotch whisky brand
• Which is the best single malt scotch whiskey
• Which is the No. 1 scotch whisky in India

Whisky is intrinsically linked with India. In addition, India is also the country of the second largest distiller of the world, Vijay Mallya, thus whisky making and drinking is serious business in the country.

Scotch whisky is obtained from barley malt of Scotland, with single malt being made from one distillery without any blending. There are more than a 100 single malt distilleries located in Scotland, with most of them in the Speyside Scottish highlands.

Here are the top 10 Scotch Whisky Brands in India

1. Johnnie Walker – Best Scotch Whisky in World

Johnnie Walker is among the top scotch whisky brand on the planet, but particularly popular in India and can be considered as the most expensive Scotch in India. This could be because of the British Empire’s presence in India. Wherever they went, they brought Scotch whisky. Another reason is the quality. Thirdly, it has never featured in any scandals so its reputation remains unsullied till date.

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• • India contributes to 56% of the market share globally. This is probably due to the fact that Indians prefer hard liquor to wine or beer.
  • The color coding and logo is also easy to identify and be understood by the people of India, making Johnnie Walker the No.1 Scotch whisky in India.
  • It is seen as a luxury drink or an aspirational brand, making people feel as though they have moved forward in life and a sense of achievement when they start drinking this Scotch whisky.
  • Though there are several local whiskey brands available in the country, Johnnie Walker continues to remain the drink of choice by Indians living in the US, the UK and Australia.
  • It has a potent flavor and Indians are familiar with such flavors in their food.

2. Chivas Regal

 

While discussing the top scotch brands in India, Chivas Regal is a must in the list! So what is it about Chivas Regal that strikes a chord with whiskey drinkers in India? It is a smooth, rich Scotch blend with a sweet taste that ends with a dry finish. At times, Chivas Regal takes the lead away from Johnnie Walker as the most popular drink in India.

• It is a good scotch and one of the most popular scotches of the world dating back to the days of Queen Victoria. It is also ranked among the costly Scotch whisky brands in India.
• The Chivas brothers had a small grocery store in Scotland and later, started supplying products to Queen Victoria, after which they called themselves Chivas Regal.
• Its single malt continues to be made in one of the oldest distilleries of Scotland, Strathisla and is considered among the best Scottish whiskies.

3. 100 Pipers

100 Pipers is among the top brands of blended scotch whisky, known for its smoked notes and smoothness. Apart from being the premium scotch whisky brand in India, it is also very popular in Thailand, Spain and in South America.

• The name of this scotch whisky brand is connected with bagpipers and named after the martial Scottish ballad.
• It is connected with a Scottish legend saying that you can hear one piper play when you taste good whiskey but can hear a hundred pipers play when tasting an exceptional scotch whiskey.
• Seagram’s 100 Pipers was introduced in India in the year 1995 and is among the largest selling whiskeys in the country.
• 100 Pipers is one of the top scotch brands that is matured for 12 years in oak casks and results in a sweet and heavy beverage that is amber in color and having a fruity aroma of vanilla and honey.

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4. Glenlivet

 

Glenlivet is a scotch whisky with a pineapple note and a lighter style. They have the status of being the single malt that started it all, being the 2nd largest single malt brands.

• It is the biggest, oldest and most popular Scotch distiller in the world.
• Glenlivet brand is known for igniting the Speyside scotches. It was the first distillery in the Speyside region, north east Scotland and had set the standard for single malt whiskeys being produced here.
• They have some of the best single malt whiskies, but one of the favorites is the 18 year old flagship. The Glenlivet 18 is a blend of their famed whiskies with a fruity aroma. It is among the best selling Scotch whisky in India.

5. Glenfiddich – Best Single Malt Scotch

 

Glenfiddich is the world’s best known brand for single malt whiskey and a recognized giant in the industry. They are the No.1 producers of malt whiskey in Scotland and the world’s most popular single malt selling more than one million cases a year.

• • The name of this single malt scotch whisky means ‘deer valley’. They have a typical triangular bottle introduced in 1957, representing water; air; barley.
  • According to Peter Gordon, the great, great grandson of the founder, William Grant, its popularity in India presents a compelling opportunity for whisky makers.
  • It is a single malt scotch whisky that has received the maximum number of awards, with 8 gold medals from the International Spirits Challenge.
  • William Grant and Sons are looking to get more than 30% of India’s single malt scotch whisky market during the next six years, offering more products and expanding their reach.
  • As of now, they have several brands like Balvenie; Monkey Shoulder; Hendrick’s Gin and Grant’s for their Indian portfolio.

6. Vat69 – Top Whiskies

 

 Vat69 is considered to be the most versatile scotch whiskeys, being the perfect drink for any occasion. It is also a top rated Scotch whisky in India.

• It is the flagship scotch whisky blend from William Sanderson & Son, with the major markets being Australia; Spain; Venezuela, being bottled in India locally.
• Vat69 is made of around 40 malts and grains with a vanilla sweetness.
• It is a popular drink with Bollywood (India) villains right from the 70s and could be partly responsible for Vat69’s popularity in India.
• Check out the iconic dark green, sherry-shaped bottle.

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7. Laphroaig

 

Laphroaig is one of the most popular distilleries in Islay island, which is famed for its pungent and peaty malts. It’s single malt clean, sweet and peaty whisky.

• • There’s a rumor that the royal prince Charles of Wales is a fan of Laphroaig whisky, (Read More) though the company is not allowed to put the prefix Royal on its name.
  • Laphroaig is one of the top selling malt whisky of Islay.

8. Ballantines

Ballantines is a smooth scotch whisky brand introduced by George Ballantine, a Scotsman.

• One of Ballantines finest varieties is a smooth scotch that is blended using over 50 single malts with an aroma of toffee and smokey wood.
• Another of its Scotch varieties is the 12 year old smooth and creamy whisky, with aromas of fruits and nuts.

9. Glen Grant

Glen Grant is a light, apple fresh, single malt scotch whisky founded in the year 1840. They are the 3rd biggest producer of malt whisky in Scotland and one of the top sellers in India as well as many other parts of the world, with some expressions being popular in Italy as well. The distillery is located in the main Speyside region.

• Glen Grant is one of the few Scotch malt whiskeys that still retain the founders’ name.
• It used to be a pale whisky but later they started adding a lot of caramel from the year 2007.
• It has a light style and color due to the tall stills as well as the purifiers on the top.
• For the past few years, more people in India are inclined towards such single malt whiskies, due to more disposable income and greater awareness.
• This whisky is imported by Aspri Spirits, for India and ranks among the highest selling Scotch whisky in India.
• The Glen Grant aged 18 years was awarded with the Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky by Jim Murray Whisky Bible last year.

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10. Teacher’s

Teacher’s most popular blend is the Highland Cream, famed for the high content of malt and peaty malt whisky.

• • There are also other varieties in its profile, namely the Origin with 65% malt content; Teacher’s 50, which is a 12 year blend with 50% malt; a 25 year old blend and a Single Malt as well.
  • The first Teacher’s dram shop was opened in 1856 by William Teacher and today it is among the most loved Scotch whisky in India.
  • It ranks high among the largest selling scotch whiskies in India.
  • Teacher’s 50 was specially blended to celebrate India’s 50th year of Independence and is a favorite among many in the country.

Last Word

If there is one drink in the world that unifies India, it is Scotch whiskey. India’s appetite for drinking scotch whisky is on a high, as it continues its love affair with it. If you want to try out the best whiskies in the world, you must try out these Scotch whiskies, as Scotland is the origin for the finest whiskies on the planet. They make it using recipes and methods that are centuries old, with each Scotch whisky coming with its own unique flavor and type.

The term Scotch itself implies whiskies that are made in Scotland and the word Scotch whisky has international law protection.

However, it is a difficult task to pick the right Scotch whiskey for an occasion, so check out this ready reckoner. These are some of the world’s and India’s most popular Scotch whisky brands. Scotch whisky is one of the best types of liquor, as it is crafted with conventional methods and the whisky is matured using wooden casks. A final thought: Drink but enjoy responsibly!