‘Amrut’: An engaging account of the ambition and global success of an Indian single malt whiskey

How did Amrut, a home-grown Indian whiskey, become a force to reckon with in the burgeoning global spirits market? How did a small family-run business transform into an international empire? What kind of Western biases do whiskey entrepreneurs from South Asia face? How has alcohol’s “love-hate” relationship with policy in India evolved? Why were state governments seen opening liquor stores during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns when everything else was closed?

These are some of the questions you’ll encounter in Amrut, the Great Churn: The Global Story of India’s Single Malt. A biography of the Bengaluru-based Amrut Distilleries, the book explores several interesting themes cutting across branding, distillation techniques, the spirits industry, the melding of the personal and the professional, and beyond, encapsulating the remarkable journey and evolution of Amrut.

The author, business storyteller Sriram Devatha, charts the rise of Amrut Distilleries and its flagship single malt whiskey, a trailblazer in India’s spirits industry with several variants sold across leading global retailers. Notably, the book is not just a dry recount of a brand’s success story, but also offers plenty of fodder for debate around the evolution of made-in-India whiskey, the risks innovators face, and industry dynamics in the global spirits market.

Amrut’s story is fascinating for its innovation...

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