Bagpiper (whisky)

Last updated
Bagpiper
Bagpiper.jpg
Type Indian whisky
Manufacturer United Spirits Ltd (USL)
(Diageo)
Country of origin  India
IntroducedOctober 1976
DiscontinuedBagpipes
Alcohol by volume  42.8%
ColourBrown
FlavourLight malty aroma, smooth woody character
VariantsBagpiper
Bagpiper Gold
Related products
Website unitedspirits.in/bagpiper

Bagpiper is a brand of Indian whisky, manufactured by United Spirits Ltd (USL), a subsidiary of Diageo. It was launched in October 1976. Bagpiper is sold in a square bottle with black and gold packaging design. The company describes the whisky's flavour as "a light malty aroma and a hint of a smooth woody character, owing to the use of malt spirits specifically matured in pre-identified American oak casks". [1] It is similar to a blended whisky flavored with pot still malt whisky, but the neutral spirits used as base are distilled from molasses instead of grain.

Contents

The brand uses tamper-proof bottles. It also introduced whisky in Tetra Pak. Bagpiper was the seventh largest selling spirits brand by volume in 2010, according to London-based liquor research firm International Wine & Spirit Research (IWSR). The brand sold 16.92 million cases of 9 litres each that year. It was ranked ninth in the 2009. [2]

Bagpiper is exported to ten countries, [1] including those in the Middle East. [2]

History

Bagpiper was launched in 1976 by Herbertsons Limited, which had been acquired by the United Breweries Group in 1973. Herbertsons Limited was merged with several other UB Group-owned companies to form United Spirits Limited in 2006. [3]

In 1993, with Dharmendra as brand ambassador, the brand introduced the slogan of "Khoob Jamega Rang Jab Mil Bhaitenge Teen Yaar. Aap, Mein Aur Bagpiper"[ clarification needed ], and the company continues to use the slogan in its advertising. Bagpiper has had several Bollywood stars as brand ambassadors including Ashok Kumar, Jackie Shroff, Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Shahrukh Khan and Ajay Devgn.

Bagpiper was India's largest selling whisky from 2005 until 2010, [4] when it was overtaken by Officer's Choice, which is manufactured by Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD). [5]

Sales

Bagpiper whisky advertisement painted on a liquor store wall in Pondicherry Bagpiper whisky advertisement in Pondicherry.jpg
Bagpiper whisky advertisement painted on a liquor store wall in Pondicherry

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Glenlivet distillery</span> Distillery near Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland that produces single malt Scotch whisky

The Glenlivet distillery is a distillery near Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland, that produces single malt Scotch whisky. It is the oldest legal distillery in the Highlands of Scotland. It was founded in 1824 and has operated almost continuously since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pernod Ricard</span> French company that produces distilled beverages

Pernod Ricard is a French company best known for its anise-flavoured pastis apéritifs Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis. The world's second-largest wine and spirits seller, it also produces several other types of pastis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnnie Walker</span> Scotch whisky

Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch whisky produced by Diageo in Scotland. It was established in the Scottish burgh of Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire in 1820, and continued to be produced and bottled at the town's Hill Street plant, once the world's largest bottling plant, until its closure in 2012, a decision announced by Diageo in 2009 which would bring the 190-year association between the brand and Kilmarnock to an end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Famous Grouse</span> Brand of Scotch whisky

The Famous Grouse is a brand of blended Scotch whisky produced by The Edrington Group in Scotland. It was first produced by Matthew Gloag & Son in 1896. The single malt whiskies used in The Famous Grouse blend include the Edrington-owned Highland Park and The Macallan. Its emblem is the red grouse, Scotland's national game bird.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Grant & Sons</span> Scottish alcohol distillery

William Grant & Sons Ltd is an independent, family-owned Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other selected categories of spirits. It was established in 1887 by William Grant, and is run by Grant's descendants as of 2018. It is the largest of the handful of Scotch whisky distillers remaining in family ownership.

A master blender is an individual who develops specific blended spirits using a combination of spirits with different characteristics. For example, in the Scotch whisky industry, master blenders choose which single malts and grain whiskies to combine to make particular brands of blended whisky. A master blender is not the same thing as a master distiller, although one person may do both jobs at small craft distilleries. As the name suggests, the blender creates blends using spirits from different casks and is responsible for making sure the product remains consistent across different batches, while the distiller is either directly responsible for the mashing and distilling of spirits or simply holds the title as the administrative and marketing figurehead of the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jameson Irish Whiskey</span> Single distillery Irish whiskey (1780–)

Jameson is a blended Irish whiskey produced by the Irish Distillers subsidiary of Pernod Ricard. Originally one of the six main Dublin whiskeys at the Jameson Distillery Bow St., Jameson is now distilled at the New Midleton Distillery in County Cork. It is by far the best-selling Irish whiskey in the world; in 2019, annual sales passed 8 million cases. It has been sold internationally since the early 19th century, and is available to buy in over 130 countries.

Forty Creek is a brand of Canadian whisky produced by the Italian beverage company Campari Group. The distillery is located in Grimsby, Ontario, Canada. The brand and its distillery were privately launched in 1992 by John Hall, a first-generation whisky maker and the owner of Kittling Ridge Wines & Spirits, and were purchased by Campari Group in March 2014 for CA$186 million. Forty Creek Barrel Select is the main whisky produced under the Forty Creek brand name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian whisky</span> Type of distilled liquor produced in India

As of 2006 most distilled spirits labelled as "whisky" in India were a form of Indian-made foreign liquor, commonly blends based on neutral spirits that are distilled from fermented molasses with only a small portion consisting of traditional malt whisky, usually about 10 to 12 percent. Outside India, such a drink would more likely be labelled a rum. According to the Scotch Whisky Association's 2013 annual report, unlike in the European Union (EU), "there is no compulsory definition of whisky in India, and the Indian voluntary standard does not require whisky to be distilled from cereals or to be matured. Very little Indian 'whisky' qualifies as whisky in the EU owing to the use of molasses or neutral alcohol, limited maturation and the use of flavourings. Such spirits are, of course, considerably cheaper to produce than genuine whisky." Such molasses-based blends made up 90 percent of the spirits consumed as "whisky" in India in 2004, although whisky wholly distilled from malt and other grains, was also manufactured and sold. By 2004 shortages of wheat had been overcome and India was one of the largest producers. Amrut, the first single malt whisky produced in India, was launched in Glasgow, Scotland in 2004. After expanding in Europe it was launched in India in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glencadam distillery</span> Scottish Malt Whisky distillery

Glencadam distillery is a distillery in Brechin, Angus, Scotland that produces single malt Scotch whisky. The distillery is owned by Angus Dundee plc and produces one malt whisky, with the remainder of production sold to blenders or used within Angus Dundee plc for use in blended whisky brands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Stag</span> Brand of Indian Whisky

Royal Stag, also known as Seagram's Royal Stag, is an Indian whisky launched in 1995. It is available in many countries across the world in various pack sizes. It is Pernod Ricard's best selling brand by volume. It is a blend of grain spirits and imported Scotch malts. It is commonly available in 1 L, 750 mL, 375 mL and 180 mL bottles and also available in 90 mL and 60 mL bottles. The brand is named after a species of deer famous for its antlers, that is also featured in its logo. It is produced in several company-owned as well as bottler-owned distilleries. It was the first whisky brand launched in India that did not use any artificial flavours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blenders Pride</span> Brand of Indian Whisky

Blenders Pride launched in 1995. It is a Rum brand of Indian whisky, owned by Pernod Ricard. It is a blend of Indian grain spirits and imported Scotch malt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antiquity (whisky)</span> Brand of Indian Whisky

Antiquity is a brand of Indian whisky, manufactured by United Spirits Ltd (USL), a subsidiary of Diageo. It was launched in 1992 and is available in two variants – Antiquity Blue and Antiquity Rare.

John Distilleries Pvt Ltd is an Indian company that produces distilled beverages, and the company's flagship brand is Original Choice whisky. It also manufactures brandy, whisky, wines, and the award winning single malt whisky called Paul John. The founders have sold 51% of the company to Sazerac Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Dog (whisky)</span> Brand of blended Scotch whisky

Black Dog is a brand of blended Scotch whisky produced by the Indian beverage company United Spirits Limited (USL), a subsidiary of Diageo.

United Spirits Limited, abbreviated to USL, is an Indian alcoholic beverages company, and the world's second-largest spirits company by volume. It is a subsidiary of Diageo, and headquartered at UB Tower in Bangalore, Karnataka. USL exports its products to over 37 countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDowell's No.1</span> Brand of Indian Spirits

McDowell's No.1 is an Indian brand of spirits manufactured by United Spirits Limited (USL), a subsidiary of Diageo. It is USL's flagship brand and the largest umbrella spirits brand in the world, comprising three categories – whisky, brandy and rum. The brand also has bottled water and soda. The brand began with the launch of McDowell's No.1 Brandy in 1963–64. The brand's slogan is No1 Yaari Ka No1 Spirit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Officer's Choice</span> Brand of Indian Whisky

Officer's Choice, commonly known as OC, is an Indian whisky brand which is owned by Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD), formerly BDA. It is considered to be one of the largest spirit brands in the world. In 2015 Officer's Choice overtook Smirnoff vodka to become the world's largest selling spirit brand. In calendar year 2014, the brand sold 28.4 million cases, higher than any other spirit brand in the world. Compared to the other Indian whiskies which are mainly made from molasses, OC is made from grain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">100 Pipers</span> Blended Scotch Whisky

100 Pipers is a brand of blended Scotch whisky produced by Pernod Ricard India Private Ltd..

Allied Blenders & Distillers is an Indian-made foreign liquor company, headquartered in Mumbai, India. It is a major distributor of whiskey, rum, vodka, brandy and other spirits, and exports to 22 countries around the world.

References

  1. 1 2 Whisky – Antiquity, Bagpiper, and Mc Dowell's No 1, Royal Challenges, Signature Archived 2013-05-08 at the Wayback Machine . Unitedspirits.in. Retrieved on 2013-12-23.
  2. 1 2 McDowell's No.1 is World's No. 10 among biggest global spirits brands by volume – Economic Times. Articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com (2011-07-15). Retrieved on 2013-12-23.
  3. "Editorial" (PDF). www.ambrosiaindia.com. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2019-07-06.
  4. Archived October 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Allied Blenders & Distillers". Archived from the original on 17 May 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Indian Whisky Brand Champions 2013. Thespiritsbusiness.com (2013-07-08). Retrieved on 2013-12-23.
  7. "Officer's Choice world's largest whisky brand". Economic Times. April 29, 2012. Archived from the original on June 27, 2014.