India Whiskey and RTD Alcoholic Drinks Market Report 2026
India's alcohol market is being reshaped by the rise of mindful drinking, changing how consumers engage with alcoholic beverages.
Trusted by leading global brands
Collapse All
-
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Overview
- The outlook for whiskey and RTD alcoholic drinks in India, 2026
- Rise of mindful drinking: tap into the emerging Strict Restrictors and Lifestyle-Centric Avoiders segments
- Graph 1: alcohol consumption, by urban vs rural and gender, 2015-24
- Graph 2: current approach to drinking alcohol, 2026
- Age and gender divides are shaping the new mindful drinking era
- Graph 3: current approach to drinking alcohol, by gender, 2026
- Graph 4: current approach to drinking alcohol, by age, 2026
- Same behaviour, different mindset: devise distinct propositions for Strict Restrictors and Lifestyle-Centric Avoiders
-
PREMIUMISE WHISKEY WITH FEATURES AND FLAVOUR NOTES
- Stay relevant in this new moderation era by targeting Strict Restrictors and Lifestyle-Centric Avoiders
- Graph 5: current approach to drinking alcohol, by whiskey drinkers vs non-whiskey drinkers, 2026
- Win over new-age whiskey segments with targeted flavour notes
- Graph 6: top three flavour/taste notes that are most important when choosing a premium whiskey, by select consumer segments, 2026
- Now: expand market reach of whiskey with fruity flavours
- Now: bring spicy notes to the fore
- Next: pair bold spices with fruits to hook novelty seekers
- Now: appeal to Strict Restrictors with woody/oaky flavour notes
- Now: leverage coastal heritage to communicate smoky and briny flavour notes
- Drive whiskey premiumisation by leveraging smoothness as the universal hook, and align production process narratives to distinct segment priorities
- Now: tripling down on smoothness with maturation process
- Now: appeal to Lifestyle-Centric Avoiders by emphasising unique features and processes for maturing whiskey
- Now: innovate ‘mid-strength’ whiskies to target sessionable drinking
- Next: strike a balance between heritage storytelling and modern technology
- Next: recruit female drinkers through innovative flavours, women-led collabs and cocktail-friendly offerings
- Future: bolder and offbeat flavours will enter whiskey to appeal to younger generations
-
EXPANDING RTD ALCOHOLIC DRINKS CONSUMPTION – OCCASIONS
- Unlock the next phase of RTD alcohol growth by converting strong consumer interest into frequency through occasion and lifestyle integration
- Graph 7: interest in consuming RTD alcohol drinks, 2026
- Drive RTD alcohol frequency by winning more we-time and me-time occasions
- Graph 8: occasions or moments consumers are most likely to consume RTD alcohol drinks, 2026
- Create occasion-led RTD alcohol portfolios tailored to distinct consumer segments
- Graph 9: occasions or moments consumers are most likely to consume RTD alcoholic drinks, 2026
- Graph 10: occasions or moments consumers are most likely to consume RTD alcoholic drinks, by select consumer segments, 2026
- Create occasion-led RTD alcohol portfolio tailored to distinct consumer segments
- Now: tap into at-home me-time occasions
- Now: appeal to younger generations with at-home gatherings
- Now: give the pre-drinking party ritual a social-media aesthetic twist
- Now: limited-edition festive packs hold growth potential for RTD alcohol
- Now: build brand relevance through live experiences in India’s emerging experiential economy
- Next: compete with non-alcoholic beverages by targeting at-home consumption occasions
- Future: adaptogens will emerge in alcohol-free RTDs for easy recovery and mental boost
- Future: smaller urban households will create a structural growth opportunity for premium RTD alcohol
- Graph 11: TFR*, 1971-2023
-
EXPANDING RTD ALCOHOLIC DRINKS CONSUMPTION – INNOVATIONS
- Consumers’ desire for novel experiences sets the stage for flavour innovations across beverage categories
- Anchor RTD alcohol growth in bolder flavour innovations
- Graph 12: innovations of interest for driving trial in RTD alcohol drinks, by select consumer segments, 2026
- Now: go local on flavours in RTD alcohol
- Now: give a nostalgic spin to flavours in RTD alcohol
- Now: tap into the rising demand for swicy flavours in RTD alcohol
- Now: generate buzz and stay relevant with pop-culture-inspired limited-time flavours and storytelling
- Next: lesser-known regional alcohol will enter RTD alcohol
- Next: engage the senses with aromatics in RTD alcohol
- Next: texture innovations will come to the fore
- Next: blur the line between sports and energy drinks with flavour and formulations
- Future: RTD alcohol brands will compete to deliver more engaging experiences
- Key takeaways
-
APPENDIX
- Report definition
- Consumer survey methodology
India’s alcohol market is being reshaped by the rise of mindful drinking, changing how consumers engage with alcoholic beverages. As moderation becomes mainstream, brands must move beyond traditional volume-led growth strategies and adapt to increasingly distinct consumer mindsets.
This Report explores opportunities to premiumise whiskey for two emerging moderation-minded segments – Strict Restrictors and Lifestyle-Centric Avoiders – through flavour notes, smoothness and production narratives.
It also examines how RTD alcoholic drinks can unlock growth through occasion-led consumption, flavour innovations and sensorial cues, helping brands drive relevance, frequency and value.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
- Identifying two key segments of mindful drinkers: Strict Restrictors and Lifestyle-Centric Avoiders
- Key features and flavour notes for premiumising whiskey
- Key occasions for RTD alcoholic drinks
- Flavour innovations and features of interest in RTD alcoholic drinks
Market Definitions
This report covers
- whiskey
- all types of RTD alcoholic drinks
Please note this does not cover other spirits like gin, wine, cider, rum and other alcoholic drinks not offered in flavoured RTD formats.
£ 2,195 excl. Tax
Secure direct checkout
Instant PDF download
Portal access included
Need help deciding?
Get in touch
Trusted by global industry leaders
We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.
By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.
For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.
Virginia Harvey, Secondary Research Manager, Epsilon
Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.
It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.
Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom
Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.
When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.
The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.
Ben Zeidler, Director - Research and Analytics, Tenth Wave
When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.
They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.
So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.
Rebecca Green, Market Insight Manager, Wincanton
