Explained: Why some Indian whiskies aren’t considered whiskies by international standards

When a recent chart revealed that the world’s four best-selling whiskies were Indian, it sparked both pride and puzzlement online. “What?! The four best-selling whiskeys (sic) are Indian?” one social media user exclaimed, while another quipped, “Of course! But are the moderately priced Indian whiskies ‘real whiskies’? That’s a million-dollar question. ” The question goes to the heart of a deeper truth: India may dominate the world’s whisky market, but much of what it calls whisky wouldn’t legally earn that name abroad. To the eye and palate, Indian whisky looks, smells, and tastes like its Scottish or American counterparts. Yet outside India, many of these amber spirits lose their claim to the title — not because of bias, but because of what they’re made from, and the history that