High Demand for Aged Spirits

With an increasing number of whisky consumers opting for the premium segment, whisky makers have realised the importance of aged single malts that can offer unique characteristics to the drink. HV Chinoy, Director of South Seas Distilleries, explains how this process has been able to place Indian whiskies on the world map.

As consumers are becoming more adventurous with their beverage choices, single malt whiskies are starting to attract a broader audience beyond the traditional connoisseurs. “With the introduction of various cask finishes and flavour profiles, consumers are now curious and eager to explore new expressions. From our insights, we observed that single malt enthusiasts generally fall into two broad preference categories: peated and unpeated malts,” informs HV Chenoy. This understanding led the company to introduce their inaugural releases, Crazy Cock, in two distinct expressions - ‘RARE’, the unpeated single malt and ‘DHUA’, a mildly peated single malt. In fact, as industry observers say, single malt enthusiasts and collectors are always searching for new and unique expressions. In India, the demand for single malts is growing and more people are investing in locally crafted whiskies. For instance, this trend is evident in the popularity of Crazy Cock’s two inaugural expressions, ‘Rare’ and ‘Dhua’. These luxury whiskies have been patiently matured for an unusually long period of time, stemming from four decades of maturing experience, despite the warmer Indian climate and higher angel’s share. They appeal to consumers who appreciate the intricacies of whisky maturation in our country. “Our malts are among the rarest and oldest in India, and we are essentially bottling time and art for the consumers. Those who have experienced our whiskies recognise their value and are willing to invest in this luxurious category,” says HV Chinoy. He believes that today’s consumers are willing to pay a premium for luxury goods, and recognise the quality and craftsmanship that goes into creating them.

Key Factors of Success 

Indian whiskies have been experiencing rapid growth, both domestically and internationally. To understand the key factors, one must look towards South Seas Distilleries. It was established four decades ago, at a time when the concept of single malts was virtually unknown in India. Over the years, the company has witnessed the remarkable evolution of Indian single malts. In the recent years, there has been a significant surge of Indian brands entering the whisky market. Domestically, this growth is driven by increasing consumer awareness and a strong desire for homegrown, especially luxury, products. Internationally, Indian single malts are gaining appreciation as an emerging category, celebrated for their unique and distinctive characteristics. With the growing number of single malt players, it has been essential for South Seas Distilleries to share its unique story and distinguish itself. “Our debut single malt, Crazy Cock, has a name that is meant to leave a lasting impression while also carrying a deeper meaning and legacy,” Chinoy explains. The term ‘crazy’ represents the Founder’s vision to establish a large-scale single malt distillery at a time when it was unprecedented in India. The term ‘cock’ refers to the company’s mascot – the rooster. This symbolises its entrance into the consumer market after decades of supplying malt to the world’s largest whisky makers, marking a new chapter for South Seas Distilleries, much like the crow of a rooster heralds a new day. Its products’ sophisticated packaging and distinctive name distinguished it from the beginning, but it is their quality of the malts that truly speaks for itself. Crafted by one of India’s oldest distilleries, these whiskies possess an unparalleled character as they are some of the most aged single malts in the country. They are also bottled in extremely small batches as the single malts are not mass-produced but meticulously made from start to finish at its distillery, overseen by the Founder who is the master whiskey maker.

Growing Trend of Premiumisation

There is a large number of Indians who have evolved into discerning consumers with a strong preference for luxury goods, especially those that are homegrown. “While our single malts may be new to the consumer market, they are backed by decades of heritage — our distillery established four decades ago has been maturing exceptional malts for years. Our unmatched liquid library, housed in India’s largest maturation warehouse, allows us to craft flavour profiles that are as unique as they are diverse,” Chinoy offers. The company has been continually experimenting and innovating to cater to various palates of the consumers. “Our market is quite large with different segments of consumers demanding a range of products. This includes a strong desire for both luxury goods and more affordable options. However, today’s consumers are very well travelled and much more aware, with higher expectations for quality across all segments. For South Seas Distilleries, as one of the oldest malt distilleries in the country, our warehouses hold some of India’s oldest malts, aged to perfection. We have uncasked extremely rare and valuable malts for Crazy Cock luxury single malts,” informs Chinoy.