Want to be on trend? Stock an Indian whisky

Nick Gillett is Co-founder and Managing Director of successful spirits distributor Mangrove Global, as well as an industry expert and commentator. In his column for Asian Trader, Nick suggests a subcontinental tipple for an off-sales win

Nick Gillett

If you’re on the look-out for something delicious and trending to stock on your shelf – then we can’t deny that Indian whisky is an exceptional choice. And there’s stats to back this up.

In April, Indian single malt from Indri distillery, Trini, became the fastest selling single malt in the world, ever, with a year-on-year growth rate of 599%. And the other Indian whiskies that meet the international regulations to be classified as quality single malts, are also experiencing ever-increasing demand for export.

But why is this spirit so special? What sets it apart from other whiskies, born in other parts of the world?

I would need to start by mentioning the historic connection between India and the UK. With the undeniable enthusiasm for Whisky within the country it’s fantastic to see a domestic producer not only distilling world class single malt for the Indian enthusiasts but exporting to connoisseurs across the globe

Then there’s the climate. The hot temperatures affect almost every part of the production process. They allow for more mature flavours to develop in a shorter period of time, and they affect distillation and fermentation. You can therefore expect more tropical flavours to develop, like toasted coconut and pineapple.

Now that we have numerous Indian distilleries, we can see regional similarities, and this is a whisky enthusiast’s dream. Here in the UK, we’ve become fascinated with the crazy growth of Japanese whiskies and now it’s India’s turn. So, if you’re looking for an unusual bottle to try out on the shelf – you couldn’t go far wrong with an Indian Single Malt.