India’s Officer’s Choice becomes world’s largest whisky brand

Indian whisky Officer’s Choice has overtaken Diageo’s Johnnie Walker Scotch to become the largest whisky brand in the world.

Officer’s Choice Indian whisky has surpassed Johnnie Walker as the largest whisky brand in the world

Produced by Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD), Officer’s Choice sold 23.8 million cases in 2013, mostly in its home market of India, eclipsing Johnnie Walker by 3.7m cases.

Its 31% volume growth during the year boosted the brand from being the eighth largest-selling spirit brand on the planet, to the third, behind HiteJinro’s Korean soju Jinro, and Diageo’s Smirnoff vodka.

The figures are revealed in The Spirits Business’ annual Brand Champions report – a compilation of the world’s spirit brands selling over one million nine-litre cases a year.

Up until 2013, the largest Indian whisky brand was McDowell’s No.1 Reserve, owned by United Spirits. While the brand achieved similar growth to Officer’s Choice, its total volumes fell 220,000 short of ABD’s flagship brand.

“Allied Blenders and Distillers is committed to continuously provide rewarding and fulfilling experience to its consumers,” the group said in a statement in reaction to the news. “One of our core values is ‘constantly innovating and being different’ and Officer’s Choice has continuously reinvented itself to remain relevant in changing times.

“Be it innovations in packaging , impactful, insightful and relevant communication, big ticket experiential events or consumer and trade engagement activations, Officer’s Choice has not only won over market share but more importantly heart share as well.”

According to Euromonitor, Indian consumers drink 1.4bn litres of whisky a year (155.5m cases). Officer’s Choice has a 15% share of the market.

The 2014 Brand Champions report, which also includes a list of the Top 100 Spirits Brands by volume, will be published in the June issue of The Spirits Business.