PTC Web Desk: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), India's food safety watchdog, has ordered a halt to the sale of several well-known Indian whisky and rum brands after factory inspections revealed flavouring methods that fall short of accepted norms.

FSSAI said the affected products come from three major manufacturers namely Diageo India's United Spirits, Inbrew Beverages and Mohan Rocky Springwater. Lab tests reportedly found that these companies had been using artificial flavouring agents to replicate the taste and aroma typically achieved through traditional distillation and ageing.

The ban touches a large chunk of India's domestic liquor market, particularly the segment that caters to budget-conscious drinkers who choose Indian-made spirits over pricier imported whisky, rum and Scotch. With the country's alcohol industry valued at roughly $40 billion a year, the development is being closely watched. Diageo continues to hold its position as India's largest alcohol company by market share, despite the setback.

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FSSAI's objection centres on how the flavour was added during production. Indian regulations do permit the use of natural flavouring substances in alcoholic beverages. However, testing at facilities run by Diageo and Inbrew reportedly showed that manufacturers were adding flavour compounds matching the same spirit category being produced  for instance, whisky-flavoured additives going into whisky.

Regulatory officials noted that this practice is not something recognised anywhere in standard global distilling methods and cautioned that shortcuts like these could allow companies to skip proper maturation periods or cut back on core raw materials such as molasses, malt, and grapes.

Which brands are affected 

The order names several familiar labels found on shop shelves across the country.

From United Spirits, both Antiquity Blue Whisky and Royal Challenge Whisky, manufactured at plants in Madhya Pradesh, have been barred from sale.

Inbrew Beverages has also been hit, with Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum, both produced in Madhya Pradesh, included in the restriction.

Perhaps the most notable name on the list is Old Monk, one of India's most iconic and long-standing rum brands. Three variants produced by Mohan Rocky Springwater in Maharashtra have been flagged under the same order.

According to the regulator, laboratory checks found these products to be substandard due to the presence of external artificial or nature-identical flavouring compounds.