On August 3, 2026, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ordered a halt to the sale of three Old Monk variants — The Legend, Gold Reserve, and XXX Matured Rum — manufactured at Mohan Rocky Springwater's Khopoli facility in Maharashtra. The action was part of a wider enforcement sweep that also hit McDowell's No. 1 Rum (United Spirits/Diageo India, Baramati unit), Royal Challenge and Antiquity Blue whiskies, Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky, Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum (Inbrew Beverages), and Central Province Whisky (Associated Alcohol & Breweries), among others.
Why: Artificial Flavouring, Not Natural Ageing
FSSAI's lab tests allegedly found that the flagged products relied on external artificial or "nature-identical" rum flavouring rather than developing their character through fermentation, distillation, blending, and ageing. The regulator said there is no accepted practice of adding rum flavour to rum or whisky flavour to whisky, comparing it to artificially flavouring tea to taste like tea. It clarified, however, that legitimate natural flavourings — such as vanilla or coffee — remain permitted; the objection is specifically to flavours that mimic the beverage's own defining character.
The "7 Years" Claim Under Scrutiny
Regulators also flagged Old Monk XXX's "7 Years Old Blended" label. Investigators said the product's principal ingredient was neutral, unmatured spirit, with matured rum spirit making up less than 5% of the blend — a finding reported consistently across multiple outlets. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, an age statement on a blended spirit must reflect the youngest spirit used, not the oldest, which FSSAI said made the label misleading.
Industry Pushes Back in Court
Several manufacturers have challenged the crackdown legally. United Spirits (Diageo India) filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court on August 1, 2026, contesting an FSSAI order dated June 29, 2026, concerning McDowell's No. 1 Rum labelling at its Baramati unit — this challenge relates to McDowell's, not Old Monk specifically. Separately, Associated Alcohol & Breweries moved the Madhya Pradesh High Court on July 31 over a related notice. FSSAI has said that following appeals from two unnamed manufacturers, it issued a "conditional revocation" allowing some existing stock to be sold after label corrections, while future production must comply. Mohan Rocky Springwater, the maker of the affected Old Monk variants, had not issued a public response at the time of reporting.
A Separate Headache: Shelves Running Dry
Alongside the regulatory story, Old Monk has also been facing a supply shortage across Maharashtra, with retailers reporting empty shelves during peak monsoon demand — a period when demand for the brand typically rises sharply. Mohan Meakin has not announced any production shutdown, and no official reason for the shortage has been confirmed.
What's Next
With court challenges from United Spirits and Associated Alcohol & Breweries now pending, and FSSAI already granting conditional relief to two manufacturers, the final scope of the ban — and its effect on other Old Monk variants and brands nationwide — is still being worked out. For now, the specific flagged variants remain restricted at the named facilities, while the rest of the Old Monk lineup continues as normal, supply shortages notwithstanding.
