New Delhi : The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has restricted the sale of specific variants of popular alcoholic beverage brands, including Old Monk, Royal Challenge, Antiquity Blue, and Bagpiper, following laboratory findings of regulatory non-compliance. According to the food safety regulator, tests revealed that several manufacturers were using external, artificial, or nature-identical flavouring substances—such as adding rum flavour to rum or whisky flavour to whisky—to replicate natural aging processes and aromas rather than allowing them to develop through traditional maturation. FSSAI clarified that while adding general flavouring additives like coffee or vanilla is permissible under standard regulations, adding category-specific liquor flavours to mask neutral spirits renders the products sub-standard and potentially misleads consumers.
Additionally, the regulator flagged age-statement violations on product labels, specifically citing an Old Monk XXX Rum variant's "7 Years Old Blended" claim. Investigation revealed that unaged neutral spirit formed the primary component of the blend, while matured rum constituted less than five percent. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, age statements must reflect the youngest spirit used in the product. To resolve compliance issues for existing stock, FSSAI has allowed conditional sales provided manufacturers clearly disclose the product's true nature—such as labelling them as "flavoured spirits"—on the front of the pack, while strictly directing that future production cease the addition of identical external flavours.