MAM
Radico Khaitan launches World’s First Single Malt Whisky finished in Indian Wine Casks – Rampur Asava
Radico Khaitan – the largest manufacturer of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in India – has added yet another feather to its cap with the recent launch of a unique and exciting new expression ‘Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky’ at The Whisky Show 2020 in the United Kingdom. In a first, a single malt matured in American Bourbon Barrels has been carefully finished in Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks, at one of Asia’s largest distilleries i.e. Rampur, UP. Currently launched in the UK and the US, Rampur Asava – a non-chill filtered and bottled at 45% ABV resulting in a ground-breaking expression with perfect balance – is set to be made available in a few other markets for whisky connoisseurs soon.
With the exclusive combination of Rampur’s unique distillation and maturation process, this single malt has successfully taken traditional Indian heritage and rooted it in contemporary culture. This luxury whisky, produced at a distillery located in the foothills of the Himalayas, is the perfect amalgamation of tradition and innovation through the use of Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks. The unique distillery location exposes the whiskies to polar opposite climate conditions throughout the year, with the flavour of the famous Indian Summer giving Rampur Single Malts an added dimension as well as depth.
“We are very proud of our Indian heritage and Rampur Asava is another step in bringing the unique whiskies of India to the world. We are confident the exotic and unique Indian flavours will delight your palate,” said Mr. Abhishek Khaitan, Managing Director, Radico Khaitan.
Rampur Asava is an electrifying addition to Rampur’s Indian Single Malt Whisky range, which currently boasts of Rampur Select, Rampur Double Cask, limited edition Rampur Sherry PX and the ultra-exclusive Rampur Signature Reserve.
Sanjeev Banga, President, International Business of Radico, said: “We are always striving to make each Rampur expression of the highest quality and exciting for malt whisky drinkers. The diverse weather conditions at the distillery have enabled us to be creative and experiment with our single malts. We are delighted with the results as there is an impeccable balance of taste in this finely perfected golden nectar that lingers on your taste buds.”
Tasting Notes:
Appearance: Dark mahogany
Nose: Typical tropical fruity note of Rampur with added notes of apricot, blackberry, black currant, dark cherry & plum followed with a faint hint of tobacco and spices.
Palate: Velvety, Manuka honey sweetness highlighted by spicy oak, vanilla and balanced with dryness from Indian red wine.
Finish: Medium to long finish which gently lingers on the palate
Initial launch in UK and USA. More markets to follow.
Instagram: @rampursinglemalt
Facebook: @rampursinglemalt
www.rampursinglemalt.com
Notes to Editors:
Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky is owned by Radico Khaitan – the largest Indian beverage alcohol company and one of the oldest whisky distillers in India – established in 1943. The company has been distilling malt whiskies for over 27 years with a reputation for quality and innovation.
Three of Radico Khaitan’s distilleries are based in Uttar Pradesh in the foothills of the Himalayas, where all of Rampur’s Whiskies are distilled, matured and bottled. Rampur is named after the princely Indian state known for its rich heritage and royal traditions.
Radico Khaitan are also the producers of award winning Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin, which is triple-distilled in traditional copper pot stills and hand-crafted with a recipe that combines the ancient knowledge of herbs and spices, vibrant juniper berries and hand-picked botanicals from all four corners of India. With seven of the 11 botanicals coming from India, Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin is ‘the whole of Indian in one bottle’.
For trade enquiries please contact: exports@radico.co.in
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
