Royal Stag overtook McDowell’s to become the world’s largestselling whisky brand by volume for the first time in 2025, ending the Diageo-owned brand’s decade-long dominance, showed the latest Millionaires’ Club rankings. Since 2021, Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) brands in the rankings have expanded nearly 30%, far outpacing the other brands.Indian labels now account for over 25% of the sales of the world’s large spirits brands.Six of the top 10 bestselling whisky brands are Indian.Indian whisky is becoming one of the biggest engines of growth for the sector globally.Royal Stag, a flagship brand of Pernod Ricard, grew 5.2% in 2025, while sales of McDowell’s fell 0.9%.
ET Graphics: The crown in 2025 goes to a royal whisky brand
In a significant shift, Royal Stag has claimed the title of the world's largest-selling whisky brand by volume, dethroning McDowell's after a decade. This milestone highlights the surging growth of Indian-made foreign liquor, which now constitutes over 25% of global large spirits brands. Six of the top ten whisky brands are now Indian, underscoring the nation's growing influence in the international spirits market.
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