Is whiskey manufactured in India? What are Indian whiskeys?

An alcoholic beverage, whiskey is a widely popular drink across the globe. The common procedure of its production involves - malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation. The first step includes germination of the grain which is used to make the whiskey. Grains like barley, maize, wheat, rye and others are traditionally used. The older the whiskey i.e. longer aging, the more expensive and grand would it be. So along with the other process that it goes through, maturation is extremely essential. There are many different types of whiskeys based on the region where it is manufactured, the process that is used in its production, grains and their quality, the time duration that it is allowed to age and other factors.

Scotch whiskey is made in Scotland and imported all over the world. Both the drinks i.e. whiskey and blended Scotch whiskey are different from one another. Traditionally made from malted barley, the contemporary versions include blended scotch made from other grains as well. The maturation or aging of such Scotch compulsorily has to be three years or more. The maturation of whiskey, whether scotch or not takes place inside oak casks or barrels.

The traditional ingredients of blended scotch whiskey included barley, yeast, and water. There are different variations in Scotch whiskey that depends on how it was produced. Single malt Scotch whiskey, single grain Scotch whiskey, blended malt Scotch whiskey, blended grain Scotch whiskey and blended Scotch whiskey are the types. Blended Scotch is a combination of both grain whiskeys and malt whiskey and manufactured in quantity more than any other type. There are several big and famous brands in the market that sell this type of whiskey. Scotch is more expensive compared to just whiskey and especially Indian whiskeys. Scotch is often consumed neat or with ice. Adding a small quantity of water helps bring out its flavours.

India is one of the top importers of Scotch whiskey in the world. Other than that, India has several home-grown brands producing quality whiskey. The production of certain brands of Indian whiskey may not follow set global trends which bring down its cost of production. Majority of the whiskey made is out of molasses and the maturation period may also not be for longer. This veers away from the traditional approach that is followed in order to create such whiskey. The liquor market in India is huge and whiskey forms the largest of its shares.