Beware, your favourite rum and whisky might not be aged in a barrel, but in a lab: FSSAI

The FSSAI has alleged that several rum and whisky variants used artificial flavouring and misleading labelling instead of traditional ageing methods. The regulator flagged multiple brands after inspections in Maharashtra, Goa and Madhya Pradesh and ordered corrective action while allowing conditional inventory clearance.

Hyderabad: An enforcement drive by food and health regulatory authorities across the country has exposed the practice of artificially flavoring classic rum and single-malt whisky, the alcoholic beverages that are purchased by customers on the basis of trust.

A classic rum or a smooth single-malt whisky is purchased by customers based on the promise they have been aged by time, patience, and through tradition by the use of molasses/ grains fermented, distilled, in oak barrels.

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However, an enforcement drive by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in collaboration with health departments revealed some of the iconic spirits have relied on chemicals instead of proper barrel aging.

According to statements from the Health Ministry and FSSAI, laboratory tests flagged widespread non-compliance across many popular whisky and rum variants. While authentic standard spirits derive their characteristic aroma, color, and sensory profile naturally through raw material fermentation, distinct distillation practices, and prolonged wood-aging, regulators found shortcuts.

According to FSSAI, manufacturers have adopted shortcuts by relying on neutral alcohol or extra neutral alcohol (ENA), which is essentially flavorless and odorless, and artificially spiked it with identical external flavors, such as adding rum flavor to rum or whisky flavor to whisky.

“Manufacturers are found to add flavour externally, which mimics the product’s inherent aroma and taste, and sell the same as a standard product, thereby misleading consumers,” FSSAI report said.

Such products are not only sub-standard but are also misrepresented by using the names of standard categories. At best, they can be identified as Rum-flavoured Spirit or Whisky-flavoured Spirit, etc. Further, the front of the pack completely fails to disclose the true nature of the product, FSSAI added.

“The claim of ‘7 years old blended’ in the label of Old monk XXX Rum variant was also found to be misleading. The major ingredient of the rum is neutral (unmatured/unaged) spirit, while the matured rum spirit is only a minor ingredient of the rum (less than 5% as per investigation findings). This is also a clear violation of existing regulations, as the age claim of the spirit should be from the youngest of spirit in the blend as per FSS (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018,” FSAAI said.

• Inspections and samples were collected in manufacturing units in Maharashtra, Goa, and MP
• Mohan Rocky Springwater (Khopoli Unit): Flagged for variants including 3 Old Monk Rum (The Legend, Gold Reserve, XXX Matured Rum).
• United Spirits (Baramati and Madhya Pradesh Units): Flagged for major mainstream labels including McDowell’s No. 1 Rum, Antiquity Blue Whisky, and Royal Challenge Whisky.
• INBREW Beverages (Madhya Pradesh): Flagged for Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum.
• Associated Alcohol & Breweries (Madhya Pradesh): Flagged for Central Province Whisky and McDowell’s No. 1 Celebration Matured XXX Rum.
• Manufacturers granted conditional relief to clear existing inventory