You would want to clink your glasses together and shout out ‘Cheers’ joyfully to celebrate any special occasion. Whether you are celebrating a wedding function or retiring after devoting several years of your service, you will not forget to raise a toast. Alcoholic drinks are symbolic of every special occasion. No wonder, there has been a steep rise in the sale of alcohol by 38 percent between 2010 and 2017 in India alone. As per the survey mentioned in The Economic Times, since 1990, there was a substantial leap of 70 percent in the total volume of consumption of alcoholic beverages per year. Within 17 years, consumption of alcohol rose to 36,676 million liters in 2017 from 20,999 million liters in 1990.
There are varieties of alcohol brands in India and are readily available in the market. However, depending upon the event, you would need to select the best types of alcoholic beverages that would suit the occasion. To impress your guests, you would need to keep yourself updated about the best whiskey brands in India. You may be familiar with the typical terms such as beer, wine, etc. However, are you aware that there are broadly two categories of alcohols depending on how they are produced? You can classify the different types of alcoholic beverages into fermented drinks and distilled drinks.
Table of Contents
Fermented Beverages
Fermented alcoholic beverages are brews that undergo the process of fermentation. Fermentation is a process that involves breaking down substances to brew beers, wine, and spirits, where you can convert sugar into ethanol. They contain alcohol as an active agent. Sugar-based fermented drinks include wine and brandy.
Beer
A standard beer is the safest type of alcoholic beverage as it contains only 3 to 8 percent of alcohol in 300-400 ml. It is a fermentation of starch, yeast, and malt. Cereals such as barley, corn, rye and corn, wheat are the source of its production. Youngsters claim that frothy beer is one of the best alcohol in India. For beer lovers, some of the best beer brands are available in India.
Also Read: The 10 Best Indian Beer Brands
Wine
If it is a wine, it must contain fruit juice extracts. You can bottle the wines after it undergoes fermentation and harvesting. You can use common fruits such as grapes, peaches, plums for the preparation of wine. These fruits are fermented and kept in the bottle to allow aging. Generally, 40 to 50 percent of alcohol is present in a wine bottle. Wine is one of the most sophisticated types of alcoholic beverages.
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Cider
Cider is another fruit-based type of alcoholic beverage, which has about 5 percent ABV (alcohol by volume). Apple juice is the primary ingredient in making cider.
Mead
Mead is another alcohol type that you can produce from a blend of fermented honey and water. The presence of alcohol in mead is about 10 to 14 percent ABV.
Distilled Drinks
Distilled drinks or spirits are hard liquors that contain ethanol through the process of distillation. It is flavorful when you add sugar, fruits, herbs, and even spices. The method of distillation takes place after fermenting and thus increasing the alcohol content by 20 percent ABV.
Vodka
The tasteless and odorless hard spirit has a subtle flavor. It is as clear as water in appearance.
You can commonly use it while making a cocktail. Usually, you can prepare Vodka from potatoes or grains, whereas to prepare Ciroc vodka, you can use grapes. It is, however, highly potent since it contains 40 percent ABV.
Gin
Similar to Vodka, gin is transparent in appearance but has a distinct flavor and aroma. You can prepare it from distillations of grains or malt, and Juniper Berry adds to its taste.
A gin has 38 percent and above of alcohol content.
Whiskey
Fermented grains are distilled to bring you a bottle of whiskey. Before you can take a sip of the tastiest whiskey, you will need to keep the alcohol in a wooden barrel for several years to get that perfect, aroma, and unique flavor.
Scotch
As the name suggests, Scotch is a product of Scotland. You can prepare it using malted barley.
It takes around three years in a wooden barrel for it to mature. The oak barrel is the secret behind its flavor.
Rye
When you are talking about whiskey, how can you not mention all-time favorite American rye whiskey? Rye, a type of cereal grain, is the primary ingredient in making these types of alcoholic beverages. It has a distinct peppery flavor. There are many whiskey brands in India which will be discussed later.
Rum
Distilled and fermented sugarcane or molasses is aged in tropical climates to make the tastiest rum. There are four types of rum. It contains a minimum alcohol concentration of 40 percent ABV and a maximum of 75 percent ABV.
Tequila
The Mexican plant-base tequila has an alcohol concentration of 40 percent ABV. You can find a variety of tequila available behind the bar.
Brandy
You can call it a brandy when fruit liquor is fermented and distilled. Usually, you can use distilled grape wine to prepare a brandy bottle. French use distilled and fermented apple juice to make the famous French brandy.
Vermouth
You may be aware of the famous martini. Vermouth is the primary ingredient to prepare a martini. It is an amalgamation of roots, barks, flowers, seed, spices, and herbs.
The Top Types Of Alcoholic Beverages Available in India With Price
Now that you are clear why some alcoholic beverages are distilled or fermented, it is time to familiarize yourself with the top ten whiskey brands in the world with their price. You can indulge in good times with your family and friends by keeping into account the alcohol content and its affordability.
1. Macallan 1926
The oldest and finest whiskey brands also happen to be the most expensive. It has an incredibly rich taste of dried fruits, dates, prunes, and spiced up with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. If you want to soak in the feeling of Macallan 1926, you would have to shell out $9,250 for a single bottle of 700 ml.
2. Springbank 1919
The Guinness Book of Record holder is not only famous for its high-price but also holds a reputation of 50 years of aging. Strangely, you will not find the limited edition of this whiskey brands on the shelves in the market. The limited edition of Springbank 1919 is sold online for $78,000/- per bottle.
3. Sula Riesling
The manufacturing unit of Sula Riesling is one of the top liquor brands in India. Sula happens to be the pioneer of winemaking in the small town Nashik. It has a refreshing, citrus taste and is low in bitterness. Fruits, such as apples, apricots, pineapple, and zest of lemon add to its smooth taste. If you are looking for the perfect balance of sugar and acid, then this should be your first choice. It tastes best when you serve it with ice. The golden-colored 750 ml bottle is available for INR 1020.
4. Amrut Single Malt Whiskey
The incredible savor of burnt honeycomb and toffee is the produce of barley from the valleys of Himalayas. The choicest distilled hand-picked grains are aged in New American Oak barrel so that you can enjoy the creamy toffee taste of the Indian whiskey. The price is a bit on the heavier side, but you would not mind popping opening one of the best whisky brands amongst your family and friends. It will cost you about INR 3,608 for 750 ml.
5. Paul John Brilliance
The fruity flavor of apple blended with cinnamon, honey, and vanilla takes three to five years to mature in bourbon barrels. The exquisite taste of Paul John Brilliance is a product of Goa. You will not be able to resist sipping the best Indian whisky when you pour it into your glass. The spiciness of the wheat leaves a smooth texture on your tongue.
6. Dalmore 64 Trinitas
The blend of grapefruit, raisins, crushed walnuts, sandalwood, rich coffee, and bitter orange reaches every corner of your mouth. Some bottles are decorated with sterling silver to give a rich look. The velvety taste of this Indian whiskey has a price tag of $150,000.
7. Glenfiddich 12
You will relish the pearly whiskey with fruity flavor. The number 12 stands for several years of aging. It is one of the most popular whiskey brands around the globe.
A 750 ml bottle will cost you Rs. 5,750.
8. Royal Stag
You will savor the authentic taste of malt-whiskey when you pour down a glass of chilled Royal Stag. It is the first brand of India which did not use artificial flavors of grains. You can own a bottle of 750 ml for a price of Rs. 886.
9. Bagpiper
Bagpiper has a firm hold over the Indian consumer since 1976 for its light malty aroma. You can sense the smooth texture along with woody character as you gulp it down. It has an affordable price of Rs. 310 for a 750 ml bottle.
10. Original Choice
The preferred choice is the ‘Original Choice’ since it is one of the most selling whiskey brands in India. It has captured the global market with an exceptional 11 million sales a year. The price of a 750 ml bottle will be as economical as Rs. 230.
Now that you are familiar with the best types of alcoholic beverages in India, you can go ahead and party hard. You can sensibly choose which alcohol brands in India will be appropriate to celebrate your promotion or help you relax during the holidays.
