The Government of India has backed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in its enforcement action against certain alcoholic beverage manufacturers over the alleged use of flavouring substances that mimic standardised liquor categories and misleading age-related claims on product labels. In a statement issued on August 3, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said the action was initiated for non-compliance with the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, particularly involving flavours that recreate the aroma and taste associated with standardised alcoholic beverages such as rum and whisky. According to the ministry, investigations revealed that some manufacturers were producing alcoholic beverages primarily from spirit or extra-neutral alcohol (ENA) and subsequently adding external artificial or nature-identical flavours to imitate the sensory characteristics of rum and whisky The government stated that such products could be considered sub-standard and misrepresented when marketed under standardised liquor categories without adequately informing consumers about their true composition. Laboratory testing of sampled rum and whisky products from multiple manufacturers reportedly detected the presence of external flavouring agents, which the ministry said masked the natural flavour profile of the beverages. The government also referred to the “7 years old blended” claim on an Old Monk XXX Rum variant, stating that under existing regulations the age claim of a blended spirit must be determined by the youngest spirit in the blend, making such claims potentially misleading. Based on laboratory findings, FSSAI issued prohibition-of-sale orders against products manufactured at Mohan Rocky Springwater’s Khopoli unit, United Spirits’ Baramati facility, INBREW Beverages in Madhya Pradesh, Associated Alcohol & Breweries in Madhya Pradesh, and another United Spirits unit in Madhya Pradesh.
The affected brands include Old Monk rum variants, McDowell’s No.1 Rum, Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky, Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum, Antiquity Blue Whisky, and Royal Challenge Whisky. The ministry added that inspections and sampling were also conducted at Mandexi Distilleries & Breweries in Goa, while notices were issued to six other manufacturers in Maharashtra. Clarifying its regulatory stance, the government said flavouring substances such as coffee and vanilla remain permitted where legally allowed and supported by a legitimate technological justification. However, the current issue specifically concerns the addition of flavours representing the standardised alcoholic beverage itself, such as rum flavour in rum or whisky flavour in whisky. The ministry emphasised that the matter does not reflect the entire Indian alcohol industry, noting that many manufacturers continue to produce alcoholic beverages in full compliance with prescribed food safety and quality standards
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