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Gone are the days when your single malt pours were limited to your favourite international brands! These Indian whiskeys nominated for the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026 are bringing Indian craftsmanship and refinement to the world stage. Let’s explore how these brands are putting India on the world stage!
Longitude 77
Longitude77, the first premium Indian single malt, was just released by Pernod Ricard India, a world leader in spirits and wine, for both the Indian market and the rest of the globe. Crafted with an eye for those seeking genuine, modern-day Indian opulence, the brand pays homage to the history of Pernod Ricard in the nation. The company's goal with its first Indian single malt is to honour the artistic legacy of India while redefining the country's position as a global leader in genuine luxury and skilled workmanship.
Crafted with care by master distillers at Pernod Ricard from the finest locally obtained ingredients, Longitude77 is a tribute to the country's rich cultural heritage, varied terrain, and unique terroir. A distillery in Dindori, Nashik (Maharashtra), produces this excellent Indian whiskey in limited quantities. The natural mahogany colour of the single malt is a true reflection of its ageing method, which involves being double-aged in American Bourbon barrels and wine casks. Indigo, the colour that India bestowed upon the globe, adorns the matte-finish cannister that houses the bottle.
Paul John Oloroso
Indian whiskeys like the Paul John Oloroso are revolutionizing the country's drinking culture. And it is not just a bourbon cask-matured whisky, it is rather a whisky with bourbon character. With age, though, the Oloroso cask brings its own special blend of dry nuttiness, dried fruit, and spice to the table. All of Paul John's muses have those beautiful, greasy undertones, and this one is no exception. The aroma opens with leather and spices, then moves on to dried fruits, moist brown sugar, cake batter, and hints of tobacco. The texture is rich and oily, and it has a creamy richness to it. The high alcohol by volume doesn't detract from the balanced, rich flavour that makes it so delightful. Try this for your next whiskey sour!
Rampur Asava
The Rampur State principality, which is now in Uttar Pradesh, was the birthplace of this brand in 1943. It is now owned by the parent corporation. The whiskey at this distillery, which is located at the foothills of the Himalayas and uses the same copper pots as in the past, has a distinct flavour because of the mild winters and hot summers. Cabernet Sauvignon tannins, wonderful spices, peaches and cream, a lovely cigar tobacco note, a big, complex taste, and a pleasant phenol hint of cherry melodies make the Rampur Asava an outstanding selection from their award-winning repertoire. Unlike many wine-finished whiskies, which merely provide a subtle aroma or flavour, this Rampur's wine notes are deeply ingrained in every aspect of the whisky—from the nose to the taste. The result is a masterfully produced, world-class whisky.
Amrut Expedition
In honour of its 75th anniversary, Amrut aged a sumptuous liquid in two rare casks for fifteen years. The result is 'The Expedition' single malt whisky, which will be a limited edition of seventy-five bottles only. Out of these, sixty-six bottles will be sold internationally (to Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Americas) and nine will be kept in India. This whisky is one of those rare kinds that is silky smooth and full of life, with flavours of sherried truffle and sherbet. The first eight years were spent in a specially sourced European sherry barrel, where the liquid developed a rich, dried fruit flavour.
Then, for the next seven years, it was aged in an American ex-Bourbon barrel, where its complexity blossomed. Because it tastes better at the maximum allowable alcohol by volume (ABV), the brand bottled it at a robust 62.8% ABV. Cola is poured by the Expedition, which initially detects sherried truffle and cane molasses. Additionally, you can pick up hints of sherbet, sandalwood, oak, and vanilla in the scent. As you taste, you'll detect hints of chocolate-covered sherry, dried fruits, marmalade, crushed black pepper, and vanilla. A hint of bitter chocolate lingers on the aftertaste.
Godawan 173
This single malt has a purpose! Godawan, which is owned by Diageo, released the "world's first" Indian single malt that was finished in an Asha liqueur barrel. Thakur Karni Singh Ji of Mahanser made the Asha liqueur casks used to age the whisky over a hundred years ago. A total of forty-two components were used to season the Sal wood barrels. These included various fruits, spices, botanicals, honey, and milk, among others. The malt is created from Indian six-row barley and goes through two distillations in copper pot stills.
American white oak barrels that had previously contained Bourbon, European oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry barrels, and the Asha liqueur barrels were used to age the liquid for over nine years. A whiff of "walnuts, dark chocolate, and Sherry" greets the nose of the Collector's Edition, which follows an aroma of "roasted nuts, figs, raisins, and polished oak" in the mouth. "The whisky is lifted into a new realm of complexity" by its finish.