Seven Indian brands named among world’s top 20 best-selling spirits

London - Seven Indian brands have made it onto the list of 20 best-selling spirits in the world.

They are Officer’s Choice, McDowell’s No.1, Bagpiper, Royal Stag, McDowell’s No.1, Old Tavern and Original Choice.

Their inclusion in the list reveals that some of the world’s best-loved whisky doesn’t actually come from the Highlands but is made in India and traditionally has a much sweeter taste than Scotch, the Daily Mail reported.

Meanwhile a powerful rice wine from Korea, called Jinro, has been named as the best-selling spirit in the world - selling more than 60 million cases a year.

There are some names on this prestigious list that seem obscure even though their popularity far outweighs better known brands.

The exotic sounding Emperador, a brandy, and Pirassunga 51, a Brazilian drink called cachaca, both sell more than 18 million cases a year.

Some better known names include Smirnoff vodka, Bacardi rum and Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky.

Another global top seller is Red Star, a type of baijiu, a ‘firewater’ sold solely in China.

Top 20 global spirits (figures are per annum)

1.Jinro (soju) - 61.38 m cases
2.Smirnoff (vodka) - 24.70m cases
3.Lotte Liquor (soju) - 23.90m cases
4.Emperador (brandy) - 20.10m cases
5.Bacardi (rum) - 19.56m cases
6.Tanduay (rum) -18.71m cases
7.Pirassunga 51 (cachaca) - 18.60m cases
8.Johnnie Walker (Scotch whisky) - 18.00m cases
9.Officer’s Choice (Indian whisky) - 16.53m cases
10.McDowell’s No.1 (Indian whisky) - 16.08m cases
11.Bagpiper (Indian whisky) - 15.98m cases
12.McDowell’s No.1 Celebration (rum) - 15.63m cases
13.Red Star Er Guo Tou (baijiu) - 13.68m cases
14.Royal Stag (Indian whisky) - 12.49m cases
15.McDowell’s No.1 (Indian brandy) - 11.72m cases
16.Absolut (vodka) - 11.21m cases
17.Old Tavern (Indian whisky) - 11.07m cases
18. Original Choice (Indian whisky) - 10.77m cases
19. Jack Daniel’s (US whiskey) - 10.58m cases
20.Pitu (cachaca) - 10.49m case

 â€œThe list continues to broaden and deepen its spread,” said Jeremy Cunnington, senior drinks analyst at Euromonitor International.

“It includes the first ever brand from Kazakhstan (Haoma) making an entrance, the first single malt (Glenfiddich) and for the first time we have gained an insight into the size and breadth of the Chinese baijiu market,” he added.