A market research points out that India consumes 260 to 270 million cases of whisky a year. Very little Indian whisky is exported, demand for whisky is in double-digit growth, and in the tiny premium drinks sector single malt Scotch enjoys the biggest growth of all. India makes and consumes the biggest whisky brands on the planet, although you probably haven’t ever seen them, even if you’ve heard about them, and unless you’ve been in India you more or less certainly haven’t tasted them. So, while the likes of China, South America and Africa may follow the standard path from domestic spirits to imported ones – and eventually premium imported ones such as Scotch whisky – India is in a totally different place, having embraced whisky at the time of the British Empire.
A parallel market research also points out that alcohol consumption isn’t high in India, mainly for religious and cultural reasons. Only a third of the country’s 1.1 billion people drink regularly. And when people do drink, Samar Singh Shekhawat, senior vice president of marketing at United Breweries, told Reuters, it’s to get buzzed. That explains why strong beer outsells its low-alcohol counterpart; it also helps explain why spirits — like whiskey — are still the drink of choice in India, as the chart shows.
A deeper analysis of the market points out an astonishing fact. A majority of the young adults, aged between 18-24 are choosing to drink Scotch at home on special occasions in comparison to older people (ages 25-40). The older population generally tends to party hard and is already a lot more responsible. A global trend indicates that the maximum consumption among all kinds of whiskies is purely held by Scotch.
The main reason that the report states is that this strata of people finds social acceptance when they have Scotches. When I approached the various sales reports of the scotches sold across India, I was astonished to find that the Black Dog brand held a position above all like none other. A closer dissection of the sales of the different sub brands under Black Dog revealed that the sales of the 12 year old Black Dog and Black Dog’s Triple Gold Reserve were at near same levels in terms of consumption and sales.
One of the most appealing things to an Indian man is his acceptance of being superior to others and hence his holding a higher position of merit in the society. Given the fact that Indian consumption of Alcohol is one among the highest in the world, valued at 16.1 million pounds per annum according to a 2012 report, it is no unknown fact that Indian men love to consume the best scotches. It is not the Scotch that sells, but the label. The passport to a higher societal status.
Sources of Information:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-20946411
http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/09/25/226065877/thats-the-spirit-why-indians-prefer-strong-beer-liquor
http://www.drinksint.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/4122/Indian_Whisky:_Country_at_a_Crossread
A parallel market research also points out that alcohol consumption isn’t high in India, mainly for religious and cultural reasons. Only a third of the country’s 1.1 billion people drink regularly. And when people do drink, Samar Singh Shekhawat, senior vice president of marketing at United Breweries, told Reuters, it’s to get buzzed. That explains why strong beer outsells its low-alcohol counterpart; it also helps explain why spirits — like whiskey — are still the drink of choice in India, as the chart shows. A deeper analysis of the market points out an astonishing fact. A majority of the young adults, aged between 18-24 are choosing to drink Scotch at home on special occasions in comparison to older people (ages 25-40). The older population generally tends to party hard and is already a lot more responsible. A global trend indicates that the maximum consumption among all kinds of whiskies is purely held by Scotch.
The main reason that the report states is that this strata of people finds social acceptance when they have Scotches. When I approached the various sales reports of the scotches sold across India, I was astonished to find that the Black Dog brand held a position above all like none other. A closer dissection of the sales of the different sub brands under Black Dog revealed that the sales of the 12 year old Black Dog and Black Dog’s Triple Gold Reserve were at near same levels in terms of consumption and sales.
One of the most appealing things to an Indian man is his acceptance of being superior to others and hence his holding a higher position of merit in the society. Given the fact that Indian consumption of Alcohol is one among the highest in the world, valued at 16.1 million pounds per annum according to a 2012 report, it is no unknown fact that Indian men love to consume the best scotches. It is not the Scotch that sells, but the label. The passport to a higher societal status.
Sources of Information:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-20946411
http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/09/25/226065877/thats-the-spirit-why-indians-prefer-strong-beer-liquor
http://www.drinksint.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/4122/Indian_Whisky:_Country_at_a_Crossread
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