A new era for luxe whisky

Global luxury whisky brands are rewriting the rules of engagement in the Indian market

- Priyanko Sarkar

Bill Lumsden, master distiller at Glenmorangie, Scotland, throws up his hands and exclaims he hasn't seen the Taj Mahal despite visiting India several times. In the country after six years, he was here to introduce the luxury whisky’s brand new version, the Glenmorangie 12-Year-Old that replaces the Glenmorangie 10-Year-Old. Many popular Scottish whisky brands such as Glenfiddich and Chivas Regal start their range with 12-year-old whiskies.

Trade tariffs may well be one of the biggest dampeners of 2025, but the India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) signed in May this year, has brought cheer to a section of the industry—Scotch whisky. Under the new agreement, imported Scotch whisky will attract excise duty of 75% instead of the earlier 150%, eventually going down to 40% over the coming decade.