Amrut names Ashok Chokalingam master distiller
Indian producer Amrut Distilleries has appointed Ashok Chokalingam as its chief operating officer and master distiller.
The new double role was created by the distillery’s family board specifically for Chokalingam, who has been part of the Amrut team since February 2004.
With the new appointment, Amrut aims to integrate international marketing with technical expertise, defined by a more cohesive connection between operations and brand strategy.
Rakshit N Jagdale, managing director of Amrut Distilleries, commented: “Ashok’s elevation is deeply personal and immensely satisfying for me. He embodies the very best of home-grown talent – evolving with the company, challenging conventions and raising the bar for Indian single malt.
“Beyond technical brilliance, his global mandate makes this appointment special. He has taken India’s whisky story to the world, absorbed international insights and applied them to strengthen our craft at home.
“He speaks both the language of our house style and the consumer. Formalising this role gives me immense pride and joy as we continue building a proudly Indian, globally respected house of excellence.”
During his more than 20-year tenure at Amrut, Chokalingam has advanced through the ranks, holding positions including territory manager, international sales and marketing manager, and brand ambassador.
In 2019, he was appointed head of distilling and took on full responsibility for single malts and premium brands, overseeing everything from distillation to blending and bottling.
Amrut also praises Chokalingam as a pioneer of maturation techniques, creating some of the distillery’s most celebrated expressions, such as Spectrum and Naarangi.
According to the distillery, Chokalingam has been a driving force in taking Indian single malt whisky to the international stage.
Throughout the year, he has organised global tastings, curated masterclasses, and engaged with connoisseurs, critics, and collectors across various continents.
The insights gathered from tasting rooms and whisky festivals worldwide, along with conversations with consumers in both international and domestic markets, are methodically translated into experiments within the distillery. This includes decisions regarding cask selection, maturation environments, blending nuances, and flavour architecture.
Chokalingam commented on his new role: “I am deeply grateful to our chairman and managing director, Neelkanth Rao Jagdale, for his trust and belief in me. Amrut has never been a conventional company, and my journey here has been equally unconventional – from sales and international markets to the still house and maturation warehouses.
“That freedom to experiment, question norms, and bridge the gap between the market and production has shaped me both as a professional and as a craftsman. Amrut gave me the platform to learn globally and create locally.
“I accept this responsibility with humility and determination, committed to honouring our legacy while continuing to push the boundaries of Indian single malt.”
Last year, Amrut launched the oldest bottling of an Indian single malt whisky to date: 15-year-old Amrut Expedition.
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