Indian single malt has done well at the major spirits competitions this year. At the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2026 alone, 34 Indian whiskies won medals. As the category continues to grow, a larger number of producers are grabbing medals at competitions. The problem for many of our readers, however, is availability. When I rounded up seven award-winning Indian single malts in September, several of them were difficult to find outside India.
So, today I’ve picked five Indian single malts that have each won at least one major award and that you can find at retailers in both the US and the UK. They offer good value for money and a well-rounded look at what Indian single malt can be.
Why Some Indian Whiskies Are Hard to Find
Many Indian single malts are released in India first, and some are still only sold there for now. Crazy Cock Madhuca III launched in Mumbai, Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Goa, and DŌAAB Expression 02 launched in Gurugram, with both still difficult to find outside India. When we looked for GianChand, we found a US retailer selling it but could not find one in the UK.
What Will Whisky Look Like in 2027? Voices from Whisky Live Paris
READ THE STORYPrices can also vary quite a bit within India, because local taxes differ hugely from state to state. For drinkers in the US and the UK, the bottles to rely on are the ones that have been officially launched or imported in both countries.
Paul John Nirvana, 40% ABV, $35 / £30
Paul John launched Nirvana in 2019 as the entry-level whisky in its core range, and founder Paul P. John described it at the time as a whisky “for those willing and keen to experience single malts, especially for the first time.”
It is made in Goa from six-row Indian barley, distilled in copper pot stills, and reportedly matured for at least three years in ex-bourbon American oak casks before it is bottled, unpeated, at 40% ABV. Approachable and gentle, you’ll find caramel, leather, and stewed fruit on the nose, with lemon, honey, orchard fruits, toffee, and floral notes.
Trending Content
Paul John Nirvana won Gold at the ADI International Spirits Competition and Bronze at the World Whiskies Awards, following a Double Gold at the 2024 SIP Awards.
Indri Agneya, 46% ABV, $63 / £47
You may have an easier time finding Agneya in the US or the UK than in India. It is sold in more than 40 countries, including both of those markets, but it seems to be difficult to track down in India itself.
Agneya is Indri’s first peated release, made at the distillery in Indri, Haryana, from six-row barley grown in Rajasthan and peated to 25 ppm with Scottish peat. It is matured in first-fill ex-bourbon and PX sherry casks and bottled at 46% ABV without chill filtration or added color. The name means “belonging to fire” in Sanskrit. It is a smoky, tropical wonder. Expect green apple and honey on the nose, followed by vanilla, toffee, cooked apple, sultana, baking spice, and a little smoke.
Agneya was named Indian Single Malt Whisky of the Year at the London Spirits Competition this year. It also won Double Gold at ADI, Gold at the World Whiskies Awards, and Silver at the IWSC.
Amrut Fusion, 50% ABV, $65 / £50
In 2010, Jim Murray scored Amrut Fusion 97 out of 100 and named it the “Third Finest Whisky in the World,” a result that brought Indian single malt to the attention of a lot of drinkers outside India. Despite the controversy Murray faced in 2020 over sexist language in his reviews, retailers still quote the 2010 result today.
The name comes from its two barleys, as Fusion is made in Bengaluru from 75% unpeated Indian barley and 25% peated Scottish barley. The two are distilled and matured separately, then married together in American oak before bottling at 50% ABV. You’ll find dark chocolate, vanilla, oak, fruit, and coffee, with some peat smoke running through it.
Since then, Fusion has won Gold and World Whisky of the Year at the 2019 Bartender Spirits Awards, Double Gold at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and Silver at the International Spirits Challenge this year.
It is one of Amrut’s core bottles and is widely available in the UK and the US.
Godawan 02 Fruit & Spice, 46% ABV, $61 / £61
Godawan 02 scored 97 points at the Bartender Spirits Awards 2026, the top score among the Indian whiskies in the competition, and was named Indian Single Malt Whisky of the Year and Spirit of the Year India.
Diageo India makes Godawan at its distillery in Alwar, Rajasthan, where summer temperatures go above 100°F. According to the brand, 02 is matured in cherry wood casks, and part of the whisky is then moved into bourbon barrels treated with two Indian botanicals, Rasna and Jatamansi. However, the UK version is not treated with the botanicals.
When Phil Dwyer reviewed it for us, he found fudge, toffee, raisins, orange liqueur, and cinnamon, with apple, pear, cherry, and toffee on the palate.
It also won Gold at the World Whisky Masters 2026. Diageo India launched Godawan in the UK in December 2024, and in the US you can find 02 at online retailers.
Rampur Barrel Blush, 45% ABV, $88 / £61
The “Blush” in the name refers to the pinkish tint the whisky picks up from its Australian Shiraz finishing casks. Barrel Blush is made at Radico Khaitan’s Rampur Distillery in Uttar Pradesh, in the foothills of the Himalayas, which dates back to 1943.
It is first matured in American bourbon barrels and then finished in Shiraz casks before being bottled at 45% ABV without chill filtration. Expect floral honey and cereal on the nose, with baking spice and oak toward the finish.
Barrel Blush won Gold, with 90 points, at the Bartender Spirits Awards 2026. It launched in the UK in October 2024 before rolling out to Europe and the US, where Radico Khaitan announced nationwide distribution in February 2025.
Which One Should You Try?
If you are new to Indian single malt, Paul John Nirvana is an easy, unpeated place to start. If you like a little smoke, Indri Agneya and Amrut Fusion are both made with peated barley, and Fusion is bottled at a higher strength of 50% ABV.
Godawan 02 is the one to pick if you are curious about cherry wood casks, and it was the top-scoring Indian whisky at this year’s Bartender Spirits Awards. Rampur Barrel Blush is worth a look if you enjoy whiskies finished in wine casks.
All five are sold in both the US and the UK, so you can use The Whiskey Wash Compare to find the best price near you. Have you tried any of these, or is there an Indian single malt you have struggled to find outside India? Let us know in the comments.
