What are patrons quaffing in upmarket bars across the country? Which whisky does Mumbai prefer, and what hits the spot in Hyderabad? The What India is Drinking 2024 survey, released last week by bar ranking platform 30BestBars India, aims to provide a broad sense of the developments and trends in the Indian alcobev scene. 

The second edition of the annual on-trade focused report, which lists the ten most popular consumer brand choices across twenty different alcohol and non-alcohol categories, is based on direct responses from bar owners, bartenders and beverage managers of 116 bars across 15 cities, from Aer at the Four Seasons in Mumbai to The Maroon Room in Guwahati.

Over 600 brands found a mention in this year’s report, and 71 Indian brands registered their presence in the top 10 across various spirit categories, said Vikram Achanta, co-founder of 30BestBars India.

The key takeaway from the report is about how the surge in interest in premium offerings is helping both multinationals such as Diageo and Pernod Ricard as well as Indian distillers to further consolidate their premiumisation efforts, and this hold true not just for whisky. Premium gins such as Diageo’s Tanqueray and Bacardi’s Bombay Sapphire and vodkas such as Grey Goose are popular in tier 2 cities such as Guwahati. Tier 2 cities have also shown a marked preference for cognacs like Martell. And while Old Monk still remains a cult favourite in Mumbai and Delhi, the survey found a noticeable shift towards upmarket brands such as Appleton Estate and Flor de Cana.

While the list unsurprisingly features several international heavy hitters such as Johnnie Walker and Bacardi, Achanta said that the large number of Indian brands in the report is yet another reminder of the rise and rise of homegrown spirits. Here, we take a look at some of the insights the survey has thrown up across spirit categories.

International Single Malts and Blended Scotch

The world’s largest Scotch whisky market (by volume) loves its Scotch. This is reflected in the rankings of both the international single malts category as well as the blended Scotch and blended malt category. Global whisky powerhouses Glenlivet and Glenfiddich grabbed the first two positions in the international single malts category, closely followed by the likes of Diageo’s Talisker, Laphroaig, and The Singleton. Pernod Ricard’s Glenlivet was the most favoured whisky at bars in Goa, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kolkata. “Glenlivet, in fact, swapped places with Glenfiddich this year. That’s commendable considering it is not available in Delhi, which is one of the largest markets we surveyed,” said Achanta. Johnnie Walker and Chivas Regal occupied the first two rungs in the blended whisky category. The Bacardi-Martini-owned Dewar’s’ focus on the highball helped it get into the top three, nudging the popular Monkey Shoulder to fourth position.

Indian Single Malts

Piccadily Distilleries’ Indri emerged as the number 1 Indian single malt, dethroning last year’s favourite Paul John. Amrut slotted into third position, followed by Diageo’s Godawan and Radico Khaitan’s Rampur. Patrons were also curious about two new launches – Pernod Ricard’s Longitude and Southseas Distilleries’ Crazy Cock.

International Whiskies

Jameson, Jack Daniel’s, and Jim Beam are among India’s most ordered non-scotch whiskies. Suntory’s Toki and Hibiki (#4 and #5) also found favour with audiences across cities, according to the report. “It’s surprising that no other Irish whiskey brand has taken advantage of the inroads that Jameson has made,” said Achanta.

Gin

The ranking for the top gin brands remain mostly unchanged from last year, with Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Roku, Hendricks and Greater Than maintaining their positions in the top 5. The other Indian gins in the top ten were Hapusa (#7) and Stranger & Sons (#9). But the authors of the report say that the lack of new Indian brands on the list could possibly be a wake-up call for Indian gin entrepreneurs to revitalise the brands they have launched.

Rum

Bacardi and cult favourite Old Monk retained their top spots this year, while Diplomatico’s rise to #3 from ninth place last year is seen as evidence of the first signs of premiumisation of the category. Other Indian rum brands in the top ten rum list include Short Story (#6); Maka Zai (#8) and Amrut Two Indies (#9).

Vodka

Like rum, vodka, too, appears be on a premiumisation journey with Ketel One and Belvedere, jointly ranked #3, pushing Smirnoff into fourth position. Grey Goose, meanwhile, continues to occupy the top spot. Haku’s entry into the list (#7) points to the strong brand franchise for Japanese spirits in India, says the report.

Agave

The young and the well-heeled are increasingly choosing agave over gin, says Achanta. Patron was the most in-demand tequila across the cities surveyed, taking over from Jose Cuervo, while Don Julio, owned by Diageo, registered an impressive rise from #10 last year to second position. The list, dominated by Mexican classics, features two homegrown brands: Maya Pistola (#6) and Desmondji (#10). “The Indian consumer is upgrading when it comes to agave, and they are looking beyond mixto or 51% agave brands,” says Achanta, who expects both more imports as well as the entry of new Indian agave brands next year.

Beer (Indian and International)

Kingfisher, expectedly, dominates the Indian beer sector, with Bira 91 and wares from Goa Brewing Co. also proving to be popular choices. The others on the list include Toit (#4), Great State Ale Works (#6), and Lone Wolf (#10). According to the report, the presence of several microbreweries on the list is a “growing sign of easing of regulations linked to “tapping” or permitting microbreweries to supply kegs to other bars and of the rise of macrobreweries such as Toit.”

Wine (International and Indian)

There were no surprises here. Pernod Ricard’s Jacob’s Creek remained the top choice for the second year in a row, while Sula, Fratelli and Grover Zampa once again registered podium finishes. Craft wine brand Krsma rise up the ranks to #4 from eighth position last year is an indicator of the potential of premium, small batch Indian wines, says the report.

Top Indian brands across categories:

Read Also: Amazon’s limited-time deal: Grab up to 75% off on pregnancy pillows to sleep with comfort