Uisge Beatha Whisky prices compared

Whisky from India

This page lists the Indian single malts sold by the UK retailers we check, with the best current price for each bottle. The producers are young by Scotch standards: Amrut’s distillery dates to 1948, John Distilleries (Paul John) to 1992 and Indri’s maker Piccadily Agro to 2021, with Rampur the exception at 1943.

India’s warm climate speeds maturation, so Indian single malts are often bottled younger than their Scotch equivalents. Note that much of the whisky sold within India is made from molasses rather than grain; the bottles here are single malts made from malted barley. Few shops stock each bottle, so it is worth comparing the delivered price, not just the shelf price.

For background, see Whiskipedia on Indian whisky. Prices are the best current in-stock offer from the UK retailers we check (how we compare prices).

37 bottles in stock, with the best current price from the UK retailers we check.

Learn more on Whiskipedia

Questions

What is the cheapest whisky from India?
The cheapest whisky from India is Paul John Nirvana Unpeated 40% 70cl (40% ABV, 70cl), at £32.95 from Master of Malt. That is £37.90 delivered to the UK mainland for one bottle. Next cheapest: Indri Trini Single Malt Indian Whisky (£39.95) and Amrut Original Single Malt Whisky 70cl (£42.45).
How much does whisky from India cost?
Whisky from India costs from £32.95 to £1,199.95, with a median of £76.95 for a full-size bottle. The dearest is Indri Diwali Collectors Edition Indian Whisky 2023 Peated.
What is the oldest whisky from India you can buy?
Amrut Ex-Bourbon Single Cask #197 2016 7 year old Whisky, at 7 years old, from £143.95.
Why does whisky mature faster in India or Taiwan?
Heat speeds up the exchange between spirit and wood, and it also drives up evaporation. In Scotland the angels’ share is about 1 to 2% a year, but Amrut in Bangalore estimates losses of up to 12% a year and Kavalan in Taiwan has recorded up to 15%. That is why many Indian and Taiwanese malts are bottled young, and why very old bottlings are rare.
Is most Indian whisky made from grain?
No. Most whisky sold in India starts as molasses, which makes it closer to rum than to Scotch, which must be made from cereals. Only a small share is made from malted grain, but that is the share Indian single malts such as Amrut, Paul John and Indri come from.
Which distilleries make Indian single malt?
The best known are Amrut in Bangalore, whose single malt reached the UK in 2004; Paul John in Goa, whose first single malt launched in London in October 2012; Indri, from a malt distillery in Haryana set up in 2012; and Rampur.
Is Amrut or Paul John whisky peated?
Both make peated and unpeated single malts. Amrut Peated and Paul John Bold and Peated Select Cask are peated, while Amrut Fusion mixes unpeated Indian barley with peated barley from Scotland. Their standard unpeated malts include Amrut’s Indian Single Malt and Paul John Brilliance. See Whiskipedia on Amrut.