Devans’ GianChand Manshaa wins gold in Belgium

Devans’ GianChand Manshaa, a peated Indian single malt, has won a gold medal at the Spirits Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2025 in Belgium, emerging as the only Indian single malt to receive this honour at the prestigious competition. Crafted in Jammu using pristine Himalayan water, Manshaa’s victory highlights its exceptional quality and the distinct terroir of the region, reinforcing its position as a world-class peated whisky.

The whisky’s success is rooted in the unique Jammu climate, pure water source and Devans’ more than five decades of malt-making expertise using customised copper pot stills. Launched in July at Delhi and Hyderabad Duty Free, followed by retail introductions in Gurugram, Jammu and Goa, Manshaa has rapidly built a formidable global reputation. Earlier this year, it won International Whisky of the Year and Grand Gold at ISW 2025 in Germany, ahead of long-established global whisky powerhouses. Its flavour profile features layered medicinal peat smoke, citrus and spice, delivering a refined yet distinctive smokiness praised by whisky expert Jim Murray.

The recognition comes at a pivotal time for the Indian single malt category, which grew over 25 percent in 2024 and surpassed Scottish single malts in domestic sales for the first time. Further underlining brand consistency, all three GianChand expressions won platinum medals and secured three of the top five positions at the Las Vegas Global Spirits Awards 2025.

“This Gold at Spirits Selection validates our pursuit for perfection in every expression. We are proud that all our expressions have garnered so much attention on the world stage. What is more satisfying is the fact it is our regular expressions (and not any special editions) which are creating a ripple in the market,” said Prem Dewan, Chairman and Managing Director of Devans.

Priced at ₹8,500 in Gurugram, Manshaa is available in Jammu, Delhi-NCR and Goa, with plans to expand into Maharashtra and Karnataka.