Several well-known rum and whisky products have come under regulatory action after the FSSAI found problems linked to flavouring practices and product labelling.
The products named in the action include three Old Monk variants, McDowell’s No. 1 Rum, Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky, Antiquity Blue Whisky and Royal Challenge Whisky. The restrictions apply to specific products and manufacturing units, rather than every product sold under the affected brand names.
According to the findings cited by the regulator, some manufacturers were adding external flavours that imitated the aroma and taste naturally associated with rum or whisky. Laboratory tests reportedly classified the affected products as substandard because artificial or nature-identical flavours were masking their natural characteristics.
Old Monk variants included in the action
Three Old Monk products manufactured at Mohan Rocky Springwater’s Khopoli unit have been named:
| Product | Manufacturer or unit named |
|---|---|
| Old Monk The Legend | Mohan Rocky Springwater, Khopoli unit |
| Old Monk Gold Reserve | Mohan Rocky Springwater, Khopoli unit |
| Old Monk XXX Matured Rum | Mohan Rocky Springwater, Khopoli unit |
The regulator’s concerns go beyond the presence of flavouring agents. Questions were also raised about the way the composition and age of Old Monk XXX Rum were presented to consumers.
The product was labelled as “7 years’ blended”, but the FSSAI found that neutral, unmatured spirit formed its main ingredient. Matured rum spirit accounted for less than 5 per cent, according to the reported findings.
Under the alcoholic beverage guidelines cited in the regulatory action, an age declaration for a blended product must reflect the youngest spirit used in that blend. The regulator therefore viewed the age claim as inconsistent with the product’s actual composition.
McDowell’s, Bagpiper and other products named
The action also covers McDowell’s No. 1 Rum produced by United Spirits at its Baramati facility.
Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum, manufactured by INBREW Beverages in Madhya Pradesh, have also been included.
The remaining products named are:
| Product | Manufacturer or facility named |
|---|---|
| Central Province Whisky | Associated Alcohol & Breweries, Madhya Pradesh |
| McDowell’s Celebration Rum | Associated Alcohol & Breweries, Madhya Pradesh |
| Antiquity Blue Whisky | United Spirits, Madhya Pradesh |
| Royal Challenge Whisky | United Spirits, Madhya Pradesh |
Together, the regulatory action covers 10 rum and whisky products manufactured at different facilities in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
Why the FSSAI objected to the use of flavouring
The regulator has drawn a distinction between flavouring an alcoholic beverage and using flavour to imitate the identity of the beverage itself.
Natural flavouring in alcohol is not prohibited in every situation. Coffee or vanilla flavours, for example, can be added when a product is clearly presented as having those flavours.
The concern arises when rum flavour is added to a product sold as standard rum, or whisky flavour is added to something marketed as standard whisky. In such cases, the added flavour may give consumers the impression that the product’s taste and aroma came from its ingredients and maturation process.
In its statement dated August 2, the FSSAI said there was no internationally recognised manufacturing practice involving the addition of rum flavour to rum or whisky flavour to whisky. It said such additions could mimic the product’s inherent qualities and mislead buyers about what they were purchasing.
The laboratory assessment also suggested that products made in this manner should be described as “flavoured” or “premix” rum instead of being sold as standard rum.
Diageo India challenges related order
Diageo India has challenged a related FSSAI order before the Bombay High Court.
The challenge concerns an order dated June 29 issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act. The company has maintained that there is no legal restriction preventing its labelling practices and has argued that its production methods are consistent with established industry practices.
The legal challenge introduces a separate layer to the matter, with the regulator focusing on product identity and consumer disclosure while the company contests the interpretation applied to its manufacturing and labelling methods.
More manufacturers may face regulatory action
The scrutiny is not limited to the products already named. Inspections were also conducted at Mandexi Distilleries & Breweries in Goa.
Separate notices have been issued to six additional manufacturers based in Maharashtra, indicating that the regulator’s examination of flavouring and labelling practices in the alcoholic beverages sector is continuing.
For consumers, the central issue is whether a bottle sold as standard rum or whisky accurately reflects its ingredients, production process and maturation history. The FSSAI’s action signals closer attention to the difference between a traditionally matured spirit and one whose expected taste has been recreated through added flavouring.
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