FSSAI Revokes Order Against USL's Flavoured Spirit Produced At Baramati Plant

Leading alcohol beverage maker United Spirits Ltd (USL) on Wednesday said that food regulator FSSAI has revoked its order related to the sale of one of the products manufactured at the company's Baramati unit in Maharashtra, which it had challenged before the Bombay High Court.

On June 29, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued notices to several alcoholic beverage manufacturing units of United Spirits, Associated Alcohols and Breweries Ltd (AABL) and INBREW Beverages for adding flavours that mimic a product's natural profile.

This order was challenged by USL, part of British spirits major Diageo PLC, before the Bombay High Court. Besides, their association was also in discussions with FSSAI over the issue.

"Following the engagement with FSSAI, the FSSAI has issued an order dated August 17 2026, revoking the order dated 29th June 2026 in relation to the sale of one of the products manufactured at the company's Baramati Unit," said USL in a regulatory filing.

USL manufactures McDowell's No. 1 Celebration Matured XXX Rum at the Baramati unit in Maharashtra.

The company said the revocation order was received by its office on August 18, 2026, at around 12:40 pm IST.

It said the disclosure was delayed as additional time was required for verification of facts and information with multiple internal stakeholders.

The Diageo-controlled alco-beverage maker had earlier challenged the June 29 order before the Bombay High Court through a writ petition filed on August 1, 2026.

The company had contested the FSSAI's observations that product labels were not in conformity with provisions of the food regulator, maintaining that the declarations on the labels were fully compliant with the prevailing legal and regulatory framework in India and were consistent with long-standing industry practices.

On July 10, the food regulator said it had issued notices to alcoholic beverage manufacturers over the alleged unauthorised use of added flavours and non-compliance with age-related claims.

Subsequently, FSSAI clarified that there was no prohibition on the use of flavouring substances but raised concerns over manufacturers adding flavours that mimic the natural profile of standardised alcoholic beverages, such as rum flavour in rum or whisky flavour in whisky.

In a statement issued earlier, FSSAI had identified USL's Baramati plant, which manufactures McDowell's No. 1 Rum, among the units that had received notices. The regulator had also named USL's Madhya Pradesh facility producing Antiquity Blue Whisky and Royal Challenge Whisky, along with certain facilities of INBREW Beverages and Associated Alcohol & Breweries.

On August 6, the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court stayed the order passed by the FSSAI, indicting Associated Alcohols and Breweries Ltd (AABL) for adding flavours that mimic a product's natural profile.

USL Madhya Pradesh plant produces Antiquity Blue Whisky and Royal Challenge Whisky.

It has also named INBREW Beverages, Madhya Pradesh, for its brand Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky, Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum and Associated Alcohol & Breweries. It is for Central Province Whisky and contract manufacturing of McDowell's No. 1 Celebration matured XXX Rum.