The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has told the Bombay High Court that popular liquor brand Old Monk cannot be marketed or sold as "rum" in its current form, arguing that the product is made using neutral spirits blended with added rum flavouring. The regulator said the beverage should instead be described as a "rum-flavoured spirit".
The matter came up before a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice Gautam A Ankhad while hearing a plea filed by Mohan Rocky Springwater Pvt Ltd, the manufacturer of Old Monk, challenging the FSSAI order prohibiting its sale in Maharashtra.
FSSAI says Old Monk does not qualify as rum
FSSAI's counsel argued before the court that the issue was not merely about labelling but the composition of the product itself. According to the regulator, Old Monk is predominantly made from neutral spirit with added rum flavouring and therefore cannot be sold under the standard category of "rum".
The regulator has maintained that a product that uses neutral spirit and added rum flavouring does not acquire the characteristics required to be classified as rum simply by being marketed as one. It has suggested that the product be sold as a "rum-flavoured spirit".
The manufacturer, however, has defended its product and argued that it is made from neutral, rectified, distilled spirit of agricultural origin and complies with the applicable definition of rum.
Old Monk agrees to change label
The dispute also involves the "7 years old blended" claim displayed on Old Monk bottles. The company has agreed to remove the claim from its packaging and make the disclosure about added flavour more prominent.
The Bombay High Court had earlier raised concerns that the wording could lead consumers to believe that the entire product had been aged for seven years. The company subsequently submitted revised labels to the court.
FSSAI has sought time to examine the revised labels and determine whether they meet the regulatory requirements.
Maharashtra sales ban remains
The FSSAI had prohibited the manufacture and sale of certain Old Monk variants after its scrutiny found external artificial or nature-identical flavouring substances. The action formed part of a wider regulatory crackdown on alcoholic beverages over flavouring and labelling practices.
The Bombay High Court has so far declined to grant immediate interim relief to the manufacturer, observing that allowing sales at this stage could effectively amount to granting final relief before the case is decided. As a result, the restriction on the sale of the affected Old Monk products in Maharashtra continues for now.
The court is scheduled to hear the matter again on September 11, when the regulatory position on the revised labels is expected to be considered further.
