NEWS
CINDIA’S ALLIED BLENDERS TO BUILD SINGLE MALT DISTILLERY IN MAHARASHTRA
By Staff Reporter
28-9-2026
Source: Allied Blenders and Distillers
Allied Blenders and Distillers Ltd (ABDL), one of India’s largest domestic spirits producers, has announced plans to build a dedicated single malt whisky distillery and maturation warehouse in Maharashtra, marking its formal entry into India’s fast-growing premium malt whisky segment.
The company’s management approved a capital infusion of up to INR1.15 billion (USD12 million) into its subsidiary Minakshi Agro Industries to develop the facility in Aurangabad.
The new site will deliver an annual capacity of approximately 3 million bulk litres, with commercial commissioning targeted for the third quarter of FY28, according to a regulatory filing.
The integrated site will combine distilling and long-term barrel maturation, a critical requirement for single malt production.
ABDL also signed off on an extra INR100m for cost overruns on existing bottling and distillery projects managed by the same subsidiary, driven by rising raw material and metal costs and modest expansions to automated bottling infrastructure.
“This investment aligns with our long-term strategy to expand and strengthen our premium spirits portfolio by entering the provenance-led single malt whisky category,” ABDL stated in the filing.
The move is a major step in the firm’s premiumisation push, as Indian consumers increasingly shift from mass-market blended spirits to locally made single malts.
India’s domestic single malt market has seen robust growth over the past five years, with home grown malts winning international awards and attracting export interest across Southeast Asia.
ABDL already operates a broad portfolio of mass and premium spirits, including Officer’s Choice whisky, and has made several brand acquisitions in gin, rum and premium malt segments to capture higher-margin demand.
Industry analysts note the new distillery will let ABDL control its malt supply chain, reduce reliance on imported malt stock and build Indian single malt brands for both domestic consumption and overseas export.
The firm’s broader capital programme also includes backward integration projects to boost margins and manufacturing self-sufficiency.
ABDL’s entry into single malt places it alongside established Indian craft malt producers, intensifying competition in a high value category that continues to draw investor attention within Asia’s spirits sector.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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