Indian Single Malts Worth Knowing, from Godawan to Indri

What makes a whisky a single malt

A single malt is made only from malted barley, at a single distillery. A blended whisky, which is what most Indian whisky is, mixes malt whisky with grain spirit for a lighter, more uniform taste.

Single malts carry more of the character of the place they are made: the barley, the casks and, in India, the heat that speeds up maturation.

Godawan, from Alwar in Rajasthan

Godawan is made by Diageo India in Alwar and named after the great Indian bustard, Rajasthan’s state bird. It is matured in the Rajasthan heat and is rich and fruity with gentle spice, which makes it an obvious choice for a whisky drinker in Jaipur.

Indri, from Haryana

Indri is made by Piccadily Distilleries in the village of Indri, Haryana, and has won some of the world’s biggest whisky awards. Its best-known bottle, Indri Trini, is matured in three kinds of cask for a full, fruity taste.

The pioneers: Amrut, Paul John and Rampur

• Amrut, from Bengaluru, launched India’s first single malt and put Indian whisky on the world map.
• Paul John, from Goa, is known for rich, often peated whiskies.
• Rampur, from Radico Khaitan in Uttar Pradesh, is a smooth, fruity malt with a long history behind it.

Ask us which of these are in stock on the day; availability of single malts changes more often than everyday brands.

How to drink a single malt

1. Pour a small measure into a glass with a narrow top, which gathers the aroma.
2. Taste it neat first.
3. Add a few drops of water and taste again: it often opens up the flavour.
4. Add ice only if you prefer it colder; it mutes the taste a little.

Whatever you choose, Bottle Express delivers it across Jaipur within 30 minutes, sealed and at MRP.

Questions people ask