Amrut Whisky with Ashok Chokalingam

Shift Drink

When Ashok Chokalingam took his first job with Amrut Distilleries, he had no idea how far that job would take him, and the impact he’d have on the whisky category, India, and worldwide acceptance of one of the most beloved whisky styles in the world – made in India. Not Scotland.

His first job with the company was to relocate to Newcastle upon Tyne and convince the Scots that to start drinking Single Malt Whisky made 8000 km away — instead of their ones made in their own backyard. But with persistence, he started getting his bottle placed on bar shelves and was welcomed everywhere by whisky lovers.

Fast forward 20 years, and Ashok is now the Head of Distilling and International Sales and has formulated some of Amrut’s best-selling whiskies. On today’s episode, hear how a man with no experience in whisky, distillation, or alcoholic beverages became the voice of the Indian whisky industry, and how that is impacting the category worldwide.