Much has been made in recent years of Scotch whiskies expanding into the Indian market. India has been earmarked as a country with massive potential for Scotch whisky exports if a deal can be made to lower import tariffs to the country, while producer Pernod Ricard, who own Chivas brothers and Glenlivet, announced plans to open their own distillery in India earlier this year.
But what about the reverse? In the UK, Indian made whisky doesn’t currently enjoy the same level of popularity as whisky made elsewhere, although brands such as John Paul and Amrut have made a name for themselves among whisky die-hards.
Now one of India’s leading producers are looking to expand into the UK by building their own distillery in Scotland.
HMRC have recently approved plans for Piccadilly Agro Industries to build their own distillery on the west coast of Scotland. Piccadilly are India’s largest independent manufacturer and seller of malt spirits, producing the Indri single malt whisky and Camikara rum.
The Delhi based group are looking to invest INR 10 billion (£93 million) across their new Scottish venture and their existing premises in India.
A spokesman for Piccadilly said the investment will help them meet the “growing demand” for their spirits and called their Scottish expansion an “industry-first for any Indian alco-bev company.” They say the move “positions Piccadily as a prominent player among Indian distillers on the global stage, producing exceptional Scotch-style malts and reinforcing India’s growing influence in the premium whisky industry.”
Piccadilly’s Scottish site will span 58 acres in Portavadie, Argyll. At the time of writing very little other information about the plans is available; we have no word on intended house style, time frame for construction and production, or even a name.
However, we do have some more clarity on what the investment will be used for on their domestic businesses. Their distillery in Haryana, northern India, - currently responsible for producing Indri - will have its production capabilities expanded, and a new distillery will be built in the south of India. Additionally Piccadilly are increasing their warehousing operations.
What Piccadilly’s plans mean for the status of Indian whisky in Scotland is yet to be seen.
Of course, it’s not uncommon for Scottish distilleries to be owned by companies far from home. Ben Nevis and Tomatin have both been owned by Japanese companies since the 1980s for example, and the rise in popularity of Japanese whiskies is hardly attributed to either of these distilleries.
Nevertheless, an Indian producer opening their own facility is a different situation entirely. It’s very possible the Piccadilly team will use their Portavadie site as a launchpad for promoting their Indian made spirits.
