Top-selling Indian whisky Brand Champions
It’s an exciting time for Indian whisky as brands tap into single malts and cultural moments, but how did the largest players perform last year?
As one of the world’s biggest markets for whisky, India is seeing a growing interest in locally produced offerings. Entry-level Indian whisky sold in its home country was one of the categories that helped to offset a more significant decline in global spirits volumes, which fell by less than 1% in 2024, according to data from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.
The analyst noted that Indian whisky is seeing success, with the single malt subcategory making ‘big gains’ in its home market, a segment drinks giant Diageo is focusing on with its Godawan single malt brand.
But how did the category’s top players perform last year? Overall, it was picture of health across the sector with most brands in growth.
One newcomer to the list also swooped in to take this year’s Indian Whisky Brand Champion title, however the current leader of the pack could lose its crowning position this year.
Scroll down to see the biggest performers from The Brand Champions 2025 report.
The data is listed to one decimal place for ease of reading, but the percentage changes were calculated on the full data supplied. All data is recorded in millions of nine-litre cases.
10. Director’s Special Whisky
Volume: 2020: 3.1m | 2021: 2.9m | 2022: 3.0m | 2023: 3.3m | 2024: 3.6m
% change: 9.4%
Place last year: 9
Making its debut on the top 10 list last year, United Spirits-owned Director’s Special recorded its fourth consecutive year in growth, with case sales reaching 3.6m – its highest figure to date.
Despite growing by 9.4% last year, the brand moved down one space on our biggest-selling list due to a newcomer that experienced triple-digit growth.
9. Sterling Reserve Premium Whiskies
Volume: 2020: 2.8m | 2021: 3.6m | 2022: 5.0m | 2023: 5.1m | 2024: 3.9m
% change: -23.5%
Place last year: 8
Allied Blenders & Distillers’ (ABD) Sterling Reserve brand experienced the biggest drop among the world’s top-selling Indian whiskies with volumes plunging by 23.5% last year.
Previously named Indian Whisky Brand Champion in 2021, the brand hit a sales high of 5.1m in 2023 but lost more than one million cases a year later.
8. Iconiq White Whisky
Volume: 2020: N/A | 2021: N/A | 2022: N/A | 2023: 1.6m | 2024: 4.5m
% change: 181.3%
Place last year: N/A
While Sterling Reserve struggled last year, new stablemate Iconiq White Whisky had a particularly impressive 2024 with volumes skyrocketing by 181.3%.
A newcomer to the ranks in 2023, Iconiq managed to surpass Sterling Reserve to enter the top 10 list for the first time and secure this year’s Indian Whisky Brand Champion title.
ABD’s managing director, Alok Gupta, attributed Iconiq’s growth to its positioning as a “contemporary, stylish, and culture-driven brand aimed squarely at India’s younger, aspirational consumers”.
7. Royal Challenge
Volume: 2020: 4.3m | 2021: 4.7m | 2022: 7.2m | 2023: 8.6m | 2024: 9.1m
% change: 6.7%
Place last year: 7
The second United Spirits-owned brand to feature in the best-selling list was Royal Challenge, which had a successful 2024 with volumes reaching 9.1m cases.
Maintaining its seventh spot, Royal Challenge grew by 6.7% to report its largest case sales to date.
Part of United Spirits’ Prestige portfolio, Royal Challenge tapped into influencer marketing during the India-South Africa bilateral cricket series in November and introduced a 180ml ‘pocket’ pack in Assam, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
6. 8PM
Volume: 2020: 9.4m | 2021: 11.4m | 2022: 11.9m | 2023: 12.2m | 2024: 9.6m
% change: -20.8%
Place last year: 5
Slipping down one spot to sixth place was Radico Khaitan’s 8PM brand, which plummeted by 20.8% last year after four years in growth.
This decrease has nearly taken the brand back to the 9.4m cases it achieved in 2020.
Earlier this month, Radico Khaitan unveiled a new design for 8PM Premium Black Whisky, which could help the brand’s volumes recover this year.
5. Blenders Pride
Volume: 2020: 6.6m | 2021: 8.0m | 2022: 9.5m | 2023: 9.6m | 2024: 10.1m
% change: 5.0%
Place last year: 6
Pernod Ricard-owned Blenders Pride continued its growth streak with volumes rising by 5.0% to surpass 10m cases for the first time in 2024.
Last summer, the brand unveiled a new line extension, Blenders Pride Four Elements, which combines four styles of Scotch malts and Indian grain spirits.
India is a key market for French spirits giant Pernod Ricard with the new launch part of the company’s aim to keep innovating in the country.
4. Officer’s Choice
Volume: 2020: 20.8m | 2021: 23.2m | 2022: 24.9m | 2023: 23.4m | 2024: 21.3m
% change: -9.0%
Place last year: 3
ABD’s third whisky on the top-selling list, Officer’s Choice, posted its second year in decline in 2024, with case sales down by 9% to 21.3m.
It was once the biggest-selling Indian whisky in the world but its latest figures have seen it fall further down the list to the fourth spot.
In August last year, ABD filed an initial public offering (IPO) to raise up to 15 billion rupees (US$180m). Officer’s Choice Whisky was described as the market leader in the mass premium segment with a market share of 20.9% in terms of annual sales volumes in fiscal 2023, ABD said.
3. Imperial Blue
Volume: 2020: 21.3m | 2021: 24.1m | 2022: 24.0m | 2023: 22.8m | 2024: 22.9m
% change: 0.4%
Place last year: 4
Pernod Ricard’s Imperial Blue failed to hold on to its third spot, slipping down one place after managing a 0.4% uptick in 2024. It did, however, manage to rebound from the decline it saw in the previous year.
Recent reports claim Pernod Ricard is looking to offload the brand with India’s Tilaknagar Industries and Japanese conglomerate Suntory named as front-runners.
However, a spokesperson for Pernod Ricard would not confirm the move: “Pernod Ricard regularly reviews strategic options for its development, including its brand/business portfolio. As a matter of policy, the company does not comment on market rumours or speculations.”
2. Royal Stag
Volume: 2020: 18.5m | 2021: 22.4m | 2022: 27.1m | 2023: 27.9m | 2024: 31.0m
% change: 11.1%
Place last year: 2
Royal Stag fared better than its stablemate Imperial Blue, with volumes soaring by 11.1% to 31m cases, marking its fifth year in growth.
The Pernod Ricard-owned brand is increasingly close to usurping the number one spot for the first time, after surpassing the 30m milestone.
Last year, Royal Stag released Double Dark Peaty Whisky, said to be the first of its kind in the category due to its smoky profile. It utilises double-distilled Scotch malts matured in dark charred American and European oak barrels, blended with select peated malt and neutral grain spirits.
1. McDowell’s Whisky
Volume: 2020: 25.7m | 2021: 30.1m | 2022: 30.8m | 2023: 31.4m | 2024: 32.2m
% change: 2.6%
Place last year: 1
Like its nearest competitor, McDowell’s also managed to post its fifth consecutive year in growth. The United Spirits-owned brand recorded a 2.6% increase to 32.2m cases in 2024, similar growth to the previous year.
If McDowell’s continues at this growth rate, however, it’s position in the number-one spot could be under threat as Royal Stag is hot on its tails and growing at a quicker rate.
Last year saw the brand diversify into new categories with the launch of its X Series, which includes a vodka, gin and two rums.
Related news
Indian Malt Whisky Association officially launches
