Indian liquor in high spirits

Indian liquor continued to dominate the list of top 100 spirits brands worldwide in 2016, despite the overall slowdown in the industry, and increasing prohibition.

Three local whisky brands figure within the top 10 — with Officer’s Choice continuing to be the second largest spirits brand in the world, according to a July International Wine and Spirits Research report.

Despite regulatory challenges such as demonetisation, liquor bans in various regions including Bihar, Officer’s Choice Whisky continued to lead with 40 percent market share in the regular whisky segment, said Allied Blenders and Distillers’ ED Jeetendra Hemdev.

Overall, India added more than a million cases, and remained flat in a market that consumes about 400 million cases of spirits annually.

Also, reflecting its status as a highly aspirational drink in the developing world, whisky is the most represented category in the top 100 brands, with 28 brands and 13 of these whiskies are Indian, of which nine are owned by either Diageo or Pernod Ricard.