India’s fastest-growing single malt brand enters new territory with its first smoke-influenced expression, marking a departure from traditional Indian whisky profiles.
Piccadily Agro Industries Limited will release Indri Agneya, a lightly peated single malt whisky, across the United States starting October 1st. The new expression carries a suggested retail price of $80 (₹6,700) per bottle and represents the distillery’s first venture into peated whisky production.
The launch follows Indri’s rapid growth as India’s largest-selling single malt whisky brand. Agneya recently secured double gold medals at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition, making it the only Indian single malt to achieve this distinction at the event.
Indri Agneya Challenges Traditional Indian Whisky Styles
The new release takes its name from the Sanskrit word meaning “belonging to fire,” reflecting its smoky character derived from peat-kilned barley. The whisky undergoes maturation in both sherry and bourbon casks, a process the company says creates additional complexity.
According to official tasting notes, Agneya presents nutty and ripe fruit aromas on the nose. The palate delivers a smooth, rounded texture that concludes with gentle smokiness. The distillery describes the smoke element as subtle rather than dominant, positioning the whisky between traditional Indian malts and heavily peated scotch whiskies.
“With Indri Agneya, we set out to push boundaries,” says Surrinder Kumar, Master Blender at Piccadily Agro Industries Limited. “We wanted to explore the untapped space between the familiar and the unexpected. Agneya introduces a new conversation, a whisky that hints at smoke and spice, while still retaining the warmth and complexity that defines Indri’s house style. We’re incredibly proud to continue to elevate Indian single malts and secure India’s place on the global whisky map.”
Production Details Shape Indian Whisky Innovation
The whisky originates from Piccadily’s distillery in Indri village, Haryana, where production involves indigenous six-row barley gently kilned over peat smoke. This approach differs significantly from the distillery’s flagship expressions, Trini and Dru, which feature no peat influence.
American oak casks provide the primary maturation environment, with the dual-cask system incorporating both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry vessels. The company positions this method as central to achieving what they term “elemental interplay of fire and wood.”
Madhu Kanna, Head of International Business at Piccadily, acknowledges the established success of existing Indri expressions while expressing confidence in Agneya’s market potential: “While we feel humbled with the resounding success, acceptance, and love that Indri continues to receive not only in the USA but from all over the world, we have complete confidence that Agneya will continue on the same path.”
ImpEx Beverages handles U.S. importation for Piccadily Distilleries’ portfolio, which includes both Indri single malts and Camikara rum. The October release date aligns with the autumn spirits season, when retailers typically expand whisky selections.
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