India’s food safety regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has prohibited the sale of several prominent domestic whisky and rum brands following inspections that uncovered sub-standard manufacturing practices.
The regulatory action impacts popular products manufactured by major industry players, including Diageo India’s United Spirits, Inbrew Beverages, and Mohan Rocky Springwater. Among the specific brands targeted by the order are United Spirits’ Antiquity Blue Whisky and Royal Challenge Whisky, Inbrew’s Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum (produced in Madhya Pradesh), alongside three variants of the widely popular Old Monk rum manufactured in Maharashtra.
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According to the FSSAI, standard food safety regulations permit the use of natural flavouring substances under defined conditions. However, factory inspections revealed that external artificial or “nature-identical” flavours matching the underlying liquor categories were being added during production. The regulator noted that adding rum flavouring to rum or whisky flavouring to whisky is not an internationally recognized manufacturing practice.
The authority highlighted that using such artificial taste and aroma additives undermines traditional production methods. Specifically, it eliminates the necessity for proper aging and maturation while reducing reliance on raw materials like malt, molasses, and grapes. Consequently, laboratory examinations deemed the products “sub-standard.”
The order impacts a significant segment of India’s $40 billion alcoholic beverage market, which relies heavily on affordable, domestically produced spirits. While industry executives expressed concern and maintained that their practices complied with existing guidelines, it remains unconfirmed whether the ban strictly applies to the specific manufacturing plants audited or covers nationwide distribution of these brands. This enforcement aligns with the FSSAI’s broader regulatory push to tighten quality control across the food and beverage industry.
