The Rise of Flavoured Whisky

By carrying dominant traces of ingredients like honey, citrus, apple, cinnamon, cherry and vanilla, these blends smoothen the usquebaugh's bite.

- SANJANA RAY

THERE WAS A time when the idea of whisky in the flavour of honey, cinnamon, apple or peanut butter would have made a purist cringe. In fact, a push back against flavoured whiskies-deemed a "fad" by traditionalists-was the norm up until the 2020s, when, post pandemic, the demand for new and experimental spirits accelerated.

It's simple, really. Cooped up at home, courtesy of a worldwide lockdown, consumers had to play mixologist themselves. With the internet at their disposal, these individuals upped their drinking game, from taking their single malts neat to whipping up an assortment of sweet cocktails: Rob Roys, mint juleps, sweet Manhattans and hot toddies. By the time the world reopened and bars started filling up again, a new trend had set firmly in place: a preference for fruitier and flavoured beverages. For the whisky industry in particular, the change proved monumental.