Which award-winning Indian single malts give you the most for your money, and can you actually buy them where you live?
Indian single malts did well at many of the competitions we have covered this year. For this article, I am focusing on just two. At the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2026, 34 Indian whiskies won medals. At the World Whisky Masters 2026, Indian single malts took one Master medal and 11 Gold medals across part one and part two of our results.
So, I went back through our IWSC Indian single malt results and the World Whisky Masters coverage and picked out seven bottles that pair a strong medal result with a reasonable price, so that you can get the best bang-for-your-buck Indian whiskies. Let’s take a look at them.
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READ THE STORYCrazy Cock Madhuca III, 42.8% ABV, ₹3,600
Award: IWSC Gold (95 Points) and World Whisky Masters Gold
Madhuca III was the only Indian single malt to win Gold at the IWSC this year, with 95 points, and it also won Gold at the World Whisky Masters. It is made by South Seas Distilleries at Dahanu, on the Maharashtra coast, and the family behind the distillery has been making spirits since 1922.
The whisky is matured in ex-bourbon casks and then finished in casks that previously held Mahura. It has been billed at the word’s first Mahura cask finished whisky. Crazy Cock’s official notes include vanilla, toffee, sweet orange, chocolate, and charred oak. The IWSC judges noted lemon cheesecake, marshmallow, peach, and gingerbread.
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The launch price was around ₹3,590 to ₹3,680, with the bottle launching in Mumbai, Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Goa. As of yet, it is not widely available in the UK or in the US, but we live in hope that this innovative whisky will make its way here in time. You might be able to find it through specialist UK retailers. For now, if you come across a bottle in India, grab it while you can.
Godawan 01 Rich & Rounded, 46%, £61 / $75 / ₹3,800
Award: World Whisky Masters Master
Godawan made waves when it burst onto the global whisky scene in 2022, and the brand has now won over 125 awards for its whiskies.
Godawan 01 won the only Master medal given to an Indian single malt at this year’s World Whisky Masters. It is made at the Alwar distillery in Rajasthan, and owned by Diageo India. As we explained in a previous article, it is made with Indian six-row barley.
Distilled from Indian six-row barley, Godawan 01 is matured in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, with part of the whisky finished in casks seasoned with the Ayurvedic botanicals Rasna and Jatamansi.
When Phil Dwyer reviewed it last year, he scored it an 8 out of 10, noting: “It’s easy-going but not overly sweet. The balance of sweet, gentle spice and a touch of youthfulness at the end of the palate. It’s really well put together.”
Godawan 01 is one of the easier bottles on this list to find outside India.
DŌAAB Expression 02: The Old Man & The Blossom, 42.7% ABV, ₹3,500
Award: World Whisky Masters Gold and IWSC Silver (91 Points)
The Old Man & The Blossom won Gold at the World Whisky Masters and Silver at the IWSC with 91 points. It is distilled in Behror, Rajasthan, from barley from Sri Ganhangar and matures in Japanese Mizunara oak casks, making it the first Indian single malt aged in Mizunara. ThePrint reported that the barley comes from Sri Ganganagar, also in Rajasthan.
Globus describes the nose as “delicate fresh florals layered with the warmth of vanilla.” The IWSC judges noted jasmine, crisp apple, tangerine, white chocolate, and sandalwood.
The whisky launched in Gurugram at ₹3,500 to ₹3,800, but prices may well be higher in other states. Again, this one is difficult to find outside of India, but has clearly impressed global judges, including those from The Spirits Business.
Crazy Cock Madhuca II, 42.8% ABV, ₹4,800
Award: World Whisky Masters Gold and IWSC Silver (91 Points)
Madhuca II comes from the same Dahanu distillery as Madhuca III and is also finished in casks that previously held Mahura. It won Silver at the IWSC with 91 points and Gold at the World Whisky Masters. According to Crazy Cock, the whisky is matured in a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-wine casks before the Mahura finish.
Crazy Cock’s notes list vanilla, citrus, and marzipan on the nose, with apricot, nutmeg, cinnamon, and dark chocolate on the palate. The IWSC judges picked up incense, black cherries, milk chocolate, and espresso.
It sells in India for around ₹4,750 to ₹4,850.
Indri Agneya, 46%, £48 / $63 / ₹3,800
Award: IWSC Silver (92 Points)
Agneya is the first peated release from Indri, made by Piccadily Distilleries in Haryana, and it won Silver at the IWSC with 92 points. The six-row barley is peated to 25 ppm with Scottish peat, and the whisky is matured in ex-bourbon and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.
You’ll find mango, ripe banana, toffee, and dried peat smoke. The IWSC judges noted cream sherry, coconut, earthy peat, and menthol.
It is a great introduction to peated Indian whisky, with the oily mouthfeel, tropical fruit notes, and peat smoke resulting in a structured and complex single malt with more to offer than just smokiness.
Greg Dillon reviewed it earlier this year and said: “This is where Indri becomes more defined, as the addition of smoke brings structure to a spirit that could otherwise lean too heavily into warmth and fruit; the core character remains intact, but the balance feels tighter and more considered, making this a strong option for drinkers who want a modern smoky whisky with restraint rather than intensity.”
Godawan 02 Fruit & Spice, 46%, £61 / $76 / ₹3,800
Award: World Whisky Masters Gold
Godawan 02 comes from the same Alwar distillery as Godawan 01 and won Gold at the World Whisky Masters. Sources describe the cask order differently. The whisky is matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in cherry wood casks seasoned with Rasna and Jatamansi.
Phil Dwyer reviewed this one for us. On the nose, he found fudge, toffee, raisins, orange liqueur, and cinnamon. On the palate, he picked up apple, pear, cherry, and toffee, which he described as “almost rum and raisin like.” He gave it an overall rating of 8 and wrote, “I do prefer Godawan 01 Rich And Rounded, but this is as good for different reasons.”
Again, this whisky is more readily available outside of India.
GianChand Indian Single Malt, 42.8%, $89 / ₹4,600
Award: IWSC Silver (90 Points)
GianChand’s signature single malt won Silver at the IWSC with 90 points. It also won Double Gold at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
DeVANS Modern Breweries is based in Jammu. The company was founded in 1961 and sold malt spirit to other producers for many years before releasing its own single malt in 2022.
The whisky is distilled in long swan-neck copper pot stills and matured in ex-bourbon barrels, boasting notes of gingerbread, dried apricot, prune, and honeycomb toffee. The IWSC judges picked up prune, orchard fruits, soft ginger, and gentle smoke.
It reportedly sells for around ₹4,490 in Delhi, and Wine Palace Goa lists it at ₹4,600. In the US, Bridge Discount Liquor sells it for $89.99. I could not find a UK retailer selling it, but again live in hope.
Indian Single Malt Is Worth Seeking Out
Indian single malt can offer excellent value, but the price you pay depends a lot on where you buy it. Local taxes differ from state to state in India, so the same bottle can cost much more in one part of the country than in another. If you are buying in India, it is worth comparing prices across states before you pick up a bottle.
For drinkers in the UK and the US, Indian single malts are steadily becoming easier to find. More of them are appearing on specialist retailers’ shelves each year, although some releases are still only sold in India for now. For alternatives, and still great, Indian single malts that are easy to find outside India, check out Paul John, Indri, and Amrut.
Have you tried any of these whiskies yet, and what is your go-to Indian single malt? We would love to hear from you.
