The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has initiated a significant crackdown on prominent alcoholic beverage manufacturers, targeting deceptive flavoring and misleading labeling practices. The regulator emphasized that the distinct taste and aroma of traditional spirits, such as rum and whisky, must naturally develop through their base ingredients, fermentation, distillation, and maturation processes.
Artificial Flavors Under Scrutiny
FSSAI clarified that its enforcement is not a blanket ban on flavorings but a focused effort to prevent companies from adding artificial flavors—like "rum flavor" to rum or "whisky flavor" to whisky—to neutral spirits and then marketing them as standard products. Investigations revealed that several manufacturers were producing beverages using neutral or extra-neutral alcohol (ENA), which inherently lacks flavor, and then artificially enhancing them to mimic the expected sensory profile.
Laboratory tests confirmed that multiple sampled products contained external artificial or nature-identical flavors that masked their natural characteristics. According to the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, standard rum and whisky must possess their naturally derived taste and aroma.
Prominent Brands and Facilities Impacted
Following non-conforming laboratory reports, FSSAI has prohibited the sale of products manufactured at specific facilities and issued notices to others. Affected facilities and products include:
- Mohan Rocky Springwater, Khopoli (Maharashtra): Old Monk The Legend, Gold Reserve, and XXX Matured Rum
- United Spirits, Baramati (Maharashtra): McDowell's No. 1 Rum
- United Spirits, Madhya Pradesh: Antiquity Blue Whisky and Royal Challenge Whisky
- INBREW Beverages, Madhya Pradesh: Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum
- Associated Alcohol & Breweries, Madhya Pradesh: Central Province Whisky and McDowell's No. 1 Celebration Matured XXX Rum
Inspections and product sampling were also conducted at Mandexi Distilleries & Breweries in Goa, with further action anticipated for six other manufacturers in Maharashtra.
Mandatory Labeling for Flavored Spirits
The regulator stated that beverages crafted with added rum or whisky flavor cannot legally be marketed simply as "rum" or "whisky." To comply with the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, such products must prominently display their true nature on the front of the packaging, specifically as "Rum-flavoured Spirit" or "Whisky-flavoured Spirit."
Aging Claims Under Review
Beyond flavor violations, the FSSAI has also questioned aging claims made by some brands. Notably, the "7 Years Old Blended" label on an Old Monk XXX Rum variant came under scrutiny after findings indicated the product consisted largely of neutral, unmatured spirit, with matured rum making up less than 5% of the blend. Regulations stipulate that the age claim on a blended spirit must accurately reflect the youngest spirit used in the mix, rendering the product's label potentially misleading.
Not an Industry-Wide Ban
FSSAI underscored that this enforcement does not target the entire alcoholic beverage industry, acknowledging that many manufacturers continue to produce compliant products. The authority also noted that there is no internationally recognized manufacturing standard that permits adding rum flavor to rum or whisky flavor to whisky to achieve their defining sensory characteristics.