The 12 Best Indian Whiskies

India's appetite for whisky is insatiable, resulting in an explosion of producers creating unique Indian whiskies. Market analysis by Statista forecasts that in 2024, Indian whisky lovers will purchase nearly 900 million gallons of whisky. The grand majority of all whisky sold in India populates the value segment (in other words, cheap and cheerful), but there are plenty of Indian producers leading Indian whisky to stand alongside the world's best single malt Scotches.

India's hot and dry climate (at least compared to Scotland) hits fast-forward to the years whisky takes to mellow and age in oak casks. It also evaporates faster resulting in high-ABV spirits. It also makes it faster and cheaper to turn over fully-matured whisky that's bold and rich while retaining youthful, fruity notes. Many Indian-made whiskies blend grain spirit and distillate from fermented molasses, a base spirit usually designated for rum. These products can't technically be categorized and sold as "whisky" in the EU. However, the Indian-made single malt category is swiftly gaining renown with a cast of key players, many of whom are on this list.

After years of working in the spirits industry, I get to hunt for the world's best whiskies from regions that aren't always obvious. I've tried a selection of these bottles and where I haven't yet, I've used online expert and consumer opinions, as well as trade resources. Each bottle excels in its category and is worth exploring on your own.

In the world of whisky production, barrel aging is all important. In fact, whisky casks are even more valuable than bottles in the economy of the dram. Crazy Cock Rare Single Malt doubles up its barrel aging process, using both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks to deliver a smoother, enriched palate. Does this mean that this is an exceptional whisky? Not really, but it does place it as a product with its eyes on craft and a focus on quality.

There's plenty of sweetness on offer with Crazy Cock's bourbon-borne vanilla and maple syrup, as well as the levity it gets from fruity notes like pear. Crazy Cock Rare also exhibits complexity with deep chocolate, toasted nuts, dried fruit, and cooking spice, which rounds out its other brighter notes. This is a full-bodied whisky that can be enjoyed either neat or with ice.

This whisky is distilled from Indian barley by South Seas Distilleries and Breweries. In copper pot stills, this whisky is created as traditional single malts are, aspiring to match the prestige of its international counterparts. In 2005, this distiller installed India's largest copper pot stills, showing dedication to the craft, even at scale.

Another Indian single malt that offers something like a terroir is Royal Tiger Single Malt Whisky. Not only is Indian six-row barley used in the production of this spirit, but the water is derived from a natural spring on the distillery's property, the grounds of Antonio Jose Henriques. This individual had a notable influence on India's distilling culture and industry, pioneering the commercial production of Goa's regional spirit, feni. Henriques' love of single malt whisky led him to distill his own, and the ripples of his efforts are products that are still being sipped to this day, perhaps more than ever.

The whisky itself is balanced but bold, with a peated essence that lingers on the palate. Roasted nuts, vanilla, and woody notes all add depth and complexity, while the spirit fills out the drinking experience with a light sprinkling of sweetness. Vegetal notes of pine and forest floor add a perception of maturity to the spirit. Royal Tiger Single Malt Whisky goes through two stages of barrel aging, the second of which involves charred American white oak barrels. This single malt achieved Gold at the 2020 John Barleycorn Awards and was named Indian Whisky of the Year in the 2020 New York International Spirits Competition.

Where some other distilleries are content to involve one or two types of cask in their barrel maturation process, Kamet Indian Single Malt Whisky goes for the hat trick. Using barrels that once held French Bordeaux wine, American bourbon, and Spanish sherry, Kamet adds tremendous depth to the spirit's perceptible flavors. Fruit, toast, vanilla, and spice, all unite in this whisky that doesn't pull any punches. Dried fruit characters underlay brighter, fresher stonefruit notes, while richness is established by tobacco, cocoa, and leather. Not to be forgotten, the influence of bourbon casks echoes a distinct caramel note.

The brand's name derives from Mount Kamet, a feature of the Indian Himalayan mountains. Plains that meet Mount Kamet's foothills are where much of India sources its grain, no less the barley used in this genuinely Indian single malt. This is also a significant source of fresh water, another essential component of quality whisky. Kamet has garnered some recognition with a bronze medal from the IWSC in 2021 and an impressive score of 92 from Whisky Advocate. That's the same score the platform gives Laphroaig 10-Year-Old and Glenlivet's Founder's Reserve, for context.

A product of Piccadily Distilleries, the Indri Trini, defined on the label as The Three Wood, is so called because it's another Indian single malt that uses three varieties of casks. Barrels that once held bourbon, sherry, and wine now share the essence of their previous contents with this exceptional liquid. That's a significant influence of vinous, tannic, caramelized, and toasted flavors that accent the malt's own elegance. For a single malt, that's pretty important, as there can be a noticeable quality difference between single malt and blended whisky, and Indri lets the high quality of its barley malt shine.

The barley in this spirit manifests as sweetly tropical, with notes of pineapple, lychee, and stonefruit. This is broadened out with a nutty touch of almond and a breath of cooking spice. This is a whisky with levity, balance, and, dare we say it, a sense of joy. It's also a whisky with a gratuitous collection of accolades. Scanning the extensive list of awards this whisky has picked up over the years, there are a few standout wins. Most eye-catching are possibly the 2022 Gold at the International Whisky Competition, 2022 Gold at the International Spirits Challenge, and Platinum in the 2022 Las Vegas Global Spirits Awards with a whopping 96-point score.

Amrut swept up first place in our ranked roundup of the 12 best Indian whisky brands, and its incredibly popular Fusion Single Malt Whisky routinely acts as the spokesperson for the distillery. Using a blend of Scottish peated malt and Northern India's six-row barley, Fusion hints at this marriage of two now legendary whisky regions. The Indian barley lends its typical interplay of subtly spicey notes with notable fruity character, and the fast-tracked cask maturation the whisky undergoes in Bengaluru's (Bangalore's) intense heat focuses its power.

The casks in question are a two-pronged American oak approach, using both new and used barrels to enjoy the benefits of each. New American oak imparts a heftier tannic oak bite and a more intense vanilla essence, while the used American oak can have a more subtle influence. On the palate, Fusion doesn't hold back. Peaty smoke comes out front-and-center, while the oak's vanilla rolls out a dancefloor on which notes of chocolate, spice, and bright tropical fruit dance. Mango, stewed orange, tobacco, and chocolate fudge all take turns in a smokey spotlight. The spices hold strong throughout the experience as this whisky's finish draws long.

Recognition for Amrut's Fusion is as strong as its flavors. In 2023, it picked up a Double Gold in the Whiskies of the World Awards. As far back as 2011, Fusion was named the Grand Master of World Whisky in The Spirits Business Awards in London.

Another Paul John whisky that has gained recognition for its excellence, not just as an Indian whisky but as a world-class single malt, is Paul John's Mithuna. This whisky is opulent and generous yet expertly balanced from first to last sip.

Mithuna undergoes a two-stage barrel aging process that gives the spirit time in brand-new American oak casks and finishes it in used bourbon barrels. This layers in a structural tannic aspect that plays off bourbon's softer vanilla. At once delivering elevated citrus notes and robust chocolate and coffee to weigh it down, Mithuna also folds in layers of complexity with hints of spice. Without peat, just like Pual John's Nirvana, Mithuna gets its silky body and moreish quality from the delectable honey that softens its sharper notes to establish a delicate equilibrium. This counteraction is where the whisky gets its name, as Mithuna references the Indian version of Gemini, the zodiac sign of duality.

As is common for Paul John's best whiskies, Mithuna holds a wealth of awards that sing its praises. Some of the most notable among these include a 2022 Gold Medal in the IWSC awards, Double Gold in the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and the title of Best Indian Whisky in the 2021 International Whisky Competition.