The Premium blended Indian whisky segment is the most hotly contested sub-division in India with some truly extraordinary expressions constantly locked in a cutthroat competition for the loyalties of the suave, ambitious whisky lover.
The strong contenders in the premium blended Indian whisky segment happen to be some remarkable and top Indian whisky brands such as Blenders Pride, McDowell’s Signature, Antiquity Blue, Peter Scot and Rockford Reserve. All of the aforementioned brands enjoy a considerable chunk of the segment, although it is Blenders Pride that dominates this category like no other.
If you regularly enjoy whisky, then there’s a good chance you’ve tried Blenders Pride at some point. It’s almost always included in the list of the top Indian whiskies because it is an incredibly popular product. This drink is a great choice for someone who hasn’t tried a lot of whiskies before.
The brand has won over many whisky aficionados across the world with its unique aroma and taste. What sets Blenders Pride apart from the others? Is it worth a shot, or should you stick to other variants of Indian whisky, like Royal Stag? These are all important questions that every whisky enthusiast is bound to ask at some point in time. This article is a review of Blenders Pride, but also larger compared with other whiskies produced in India.
Not only has Blenders Pride enjoyed quantitative success, but has also performed exceedingly well on the critical front, earning numerous positive accolades from all quarters, whilst basking on a strongly positive word-of-mouth reputation.
Let us decode the determinants and the factors that have cemented Blenders Pride’s legacy and reputation as the top premium blended Indian whisky, leaving counterparts chasing its shadows.
Tasting Notes of Blender’s Pride
The layperson may never delve into the depths of understanding the inner makings of their whisky so as long as it shall deliver a taste that is utterly sublime. The very first qualities of a whisky that are judged by a drinker are its aroma, smoothness and mouthfeel.
Does Blenders Pride excel in these categories? How does it fare when put into contrast with competitor brands?
Savouring Blenders Pride acquaints the drinker with a pleasant leafy aroma, hints of Oak, fruit and gentle smoke enticing them on first contact, followed by a sweet, mellow and buttery taste that leaves behind warming, medium-length finish.
Blenders Pride whisky has a nice smell, kind of like oak, fruit, and smoke. The taste is sweet, smooth, and buttery, and it leaves a warm feeling in your mouth. It is certainly a well-balanced and smooth blend of Whiskies. In India, Sterling Reserve B10 and Signature Rare Aged Whisky are Blenders Pride’s closest rivals but command a notable presence in some areas, which signifies Blenders Pride’s excellence in terms of sales.
The brand’s closest rivals are McDowell’s Signature and Antiquity Blue, with Peter Scot and Rockford Reserve only commanding a slightly significant presence in certain places in the country.
Breaking up the Blend
Blenders Pride contains no artificial flavouring, a quality not many blended Indian whiskies get to flaunt. The blend is created by marrying the imported Scottish malts from the Chivas Brothers, and some of the most excellent Indian grain spirits available.
The brand offers a blend that contains no artificial flavoring. This is a characteristic not many other blended Indian whiskies possess. Moreover, the product is created by marrying the imported Scottish malts from the Chivas Brothers with some of the finest grain spirits obtainable in India.
Blenders Pride has been able to use the skills of its master blender and state-of-the-art distillery process to produce a drink that is remarkably smooth, rich in aromas, and flavourful. This is achieved by relying less on neutral spirits with high molasses content.
This has enabled Blenders Pride to produce a drink that is remarkably smooth, rich in aromas and flavours, with a well-rounded and pleasant finish that lacks the usual bite and harshness that most blended Indian whiskies possess. This ‘harshness’ is the result of a number of brands including McDowell’s Signature and Antiquity Blue, relying on a higher composition of molasses-based neutral spirits, a cheaper alternative that is used to make up part of the blend.
Packaging
Things are made interesting in this aspect of competition as a number of brands could lay the claim to being the most stylishly packaged premium Indian blend, and like it or not, packaging does play a significant role towards capturing the fascination of your consumers.
McDowell’s Signature is packaged within an emerald bottle with an octagonal base and a slender neck, a design that was formulated by Claessens International, a London based design-company.
Antiquity Blue, another formidable player from the premium segment, too have their bottle designed by the same London based firm. Claessens International created a sapphire bottle with a bulbous bottom tapering towards a slender neck once again. The design for Antiquity Blue is classy, and helps the brand sustain a premium identity.
Package design is important because it plays an important role in capturing your customers’ attention. Blenders Pride used a clear bottle with a bulbous bottom and tapered neck to give their product an upscale look that separates them from the competition. Seagram’s Blenders Pride also emphasizes the richness of their product by embossing their logo right below the neck of the bottle.
Blenders Pride’s chose to encase their spirit in a clear bottle with a bulbous bottom, with a neck that tapers upwards with another smaller bulge towards the top. Seagram’s chose to emboss the brand name just below the neck of the Blenders Pride bottle for an even more refined and prestigious look.
Market Dominance
When it comes to the performance in the real world, not limited strictly on the parameters of quality and tasting notes, which brand manages to eke out a win over their rivals?
In a fittingly poetic manner, this segment is overwhelmingly dominated by Blenders Pride. Banking on the sheer merit and credentials the brand has strived to uplift since it was first introduced in India 1995, Blenders Pride has managed to capture a significant portion of the market.
Overall, Blenders Pride portrays a considerable improvement on the competition they face in the market, presenting a vastly superior product and backing it up with their success.
We believe that this has earned Blenders Pride a strong and uncontested claim to the title of the best premium blended Indian whisky in the market today.
Conclusion
Blenders Pride is, in our opinion, the best Indian Whisky. This is a bold statement, but the fact is that no other whisky has the great combination of smoothness, body, and taste that Blenders Pride has. There have been a lot of entrants into this category in recent years, but none of them have been able to beat Blenders Pride.