What Keeps The Same Spirits, Wines, And Beers At No. 1 Across Different Regions In India?

Every year, 30 Best Bars India releases its What India Is Drinking report, and the 2025 edition is nothing short of a goldmine. It doesn’t rank spirits based on hype, marketing budgets, or industry noise. Instead, it shows what India is actually drinking. And when you look closely at the rankings, you realise that India drinks the same way almost everywhere.

The Surprising Truth About How India Picks Alcohol

The report looks at seven major urban markets: Kolkata, Bengaluru, Pune, Gurgaon, Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai. And the biggest surprise is how consistent India’s preferences are across categories. Region-wise lists barely change. In category after category, the same names dominate.

But how does a brand stay on top everywhere, with wildly different palates, incomes, and cultures? Let’s break down the patterns, what they reveal, and what these top brands are doing right.

Loyalty, Legacy And Innovation

When the same brand keeps appearing as the No. 1 choice across all cities, this isn’t just about habit but trust. Take Grey Goose, which tops the vodka category in every region. Or Corona, which leads international beer everywhere. Or Bacardi, India’s unanimous choice for rum. These brands have built reliability. People pick them because they taste consistent, they’re easy to understand, and they’ve become “safe bets” in unfamiliar bars

Some names have been around for decades, and yet they still top lists in 2025. The Glenlivet and Glenfiddich have once again shared the top two spots in Scottish single malts across all regions. Except in Mumbai, Johnnie Walker is No. 1 in Blended Scotch everywhere. These brands have proven track records and a perception of “you can’t go wrong with this”

Legacy alone isn’t enough. Brands like Yamazaki, Bushmills, Aperol, and Campari show how innovation keeps even traditional formats exciting. These brands are creating new drinking rituals, engaging with younger drinkers, and experimenting with new formats. This is how Yamazaki and Bushmills stay in the top two spots across all cities for international single malts and Aperol and Campari for amaro/aperitif.

Also Read: From Agave To Aperitifs, 19 Top Brands That Defined India’s Drinking Culture In 2025

Premiumisation Is A Habit And Indian Brands Are Growing

One of the strongest patterns across the report is that Indian drinkers are increasingly choosing premium brands. Moët & Chandon is the top champagne across India, Hennessy rules the brandy category, and Grey Goose and Bombay Sapphire dominate vodka and gin. Today, people in India aren’t just drinking more alcohol, they’re drinking better.

Fratelli and Sula sharing the top spots in Indian still wine across India isn’t surprising anymore. Kingfisher remains the top Indian beer in all regions except Goa. Consumers are giving Indian brands the same respect as international ones, which shows a shift towards homegrown pride and quality recognition.

So, what does all this consistency really mean? It means that the best brands today are selling trust, culture, emotion, aspiration, and experience. And that’s what keeps these names at the top, year after year, region after region, glass after glass.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva/Dotun Abu and Canva/Caleb Oquendo