4 Aug 2026
It banned the brands after laboratory tests revealed use of artificial or “nature identical” flavours instead of proper ageing process and authentic ingredients.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned the sale of several rum and whisky brands from Diageo India’s United Spirits, Inbrew Beverages, and Mohan Rocky Springwater.
The regulator found that these products were substandard due to added flavours mimicking the taste and aroma of the beverages themselves.
FSSAI has banned sales of Antiquity Blue Whisky, Royal Challenge Whisky and the McDowell’s rum variants, Inbrew’s Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum from Madhya Pradesh, and select Old Monk variants such as The Legend, Gold Reserve, and XXX Matured Rum manufactured in Maharashtra.
The action is part of FSSAI’s intensified scrutiny to ensure compliance with food‑safety regulations across categories.
