One of India's most beloved rum brands finds itself at the centre of a significant legal and regulatory controversy, with the Bombay High Court declining to provide immediate relief to the manufacturer of Old Monk against a state-wide sales prohibition and the product's own bottle labels now squarely in the spotlight.
India's food safety regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has told the Bombay High Court that Old Monk cannot be legitimately marketed or sold as 'rum' in its current form. According to the regulator, the product is primarily made from neutral spirits blended with artificial rum flavouring, and should, therefore, be categorised and sold as a 'rum-flavoured spirit' rather than rum.
The additional solicitor general countered that statutory rules require rum to derive its characteristic taste and aroma naturally from sugarcane fermentation — and that if neutral spirits form the bulk of a product while actual rum spirit accounts for as little as 2% to 5%, marketing it as pure rum amounts to consumer deception.
Old Monk's manufacturer, Mohan Rocky Springwater Pvt Ltd, has pushed back firmly. The company has argued that its product is made from neutral, rectified, distilled spirit of agricultural origin and that it fully complies with the applicable definition of rum under existing regulations. Counsel for the company also argued that FSSAI regulations explicitly permit neutral spirits with approved flavouring additives, that all ingredients are disclosed on the packaging, and that Old Monk was being selectively targeted while competitor brands use identical processes.
The courtroom proceedings have had some sharp — and even darkly comic — moments. The acting chief justice examined the product packaging himself and remarked that even with a magnifying glass, he could not locate the disclosure about added flavourings on the bottle.
The bench also raised questions about whether ordinary consumers could be expected to understand the technical distinctions involved, quipping: "How we wish every citizen of this country was so educated to understand all this!"
A separate but related concern has emerged around the labelling on Old Monk bottles. The court examined descriptors including '7 years old blended' and 'very old vatted,' observing that such wording could give ordinary consumers the impression that the entire spirit had been aged for seven years.
In response to this judicial scrutiny, the manufacturer has agreed to modify the bottle labels, and revised packaging has been submitted to the court. FSSAI has sought time to examine the proposed changes and determine whether they satisfy regulatory requirements, and the state excise department is also involved in reviewing the revised packaging.
The FSSAI's prohibition on the manufacture and sale of certain Old Monk variants followed scrutiny that found the use of external artificial or nature-identical flavouring substances part of a broader regulatory crackdown on alcoholic beverages over flavouring and labelling practices.
The court declined to grant immediate interim relief, and the ban on Old Monk's sale in Maharashtra remains in place for now. The bench noted that granting a stay at this stage would effectively amount to deciding the case before it had been fully argued.
The matter is next scheduled to be heard on 11 September 2026, when the court is expected to consider FSSAI's assessment of the revised labels and potentially take the case a step closer to resolution. Until then, Old Monk stays off Maharashtra's shelves, and a brand that has poured itself into Indian culture for decades waits for its day in court.
NSE IPO Gets SEBI Nod; ₹30,000 Crore Issue Could Challenge India’s IPO Record
Moneylife Digital Team
04 September 2026
The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has cleared a major hurdle in its long-delayed journey to the stock market, with market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) issuing its observation letter on Friday for...
SC Disposes of SEBI's Pleas against NSE after ₹1500 Crore Settlement: Report
Moneylife Digital Team
04 September 2026
The Supreme Court has disposed of pleas by market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) against National Stock Exchange (NSE) in the co-location and dark fibre cases after the market regulator approved around ₹1,500...
NSE Flags 8 Illegal Trading Operations Offering Dabba Trading, Guaranteed Returns and Account Handling Services
Moneylife Digital Team
04 September 2026
The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has issued a series of investor cautions against eight individuals, entities and social media channels allegedly offering illegal trading services, assured or guaranteed returns and...
CAS Impact: SEBI Flags Concerns Over Derivative Settlement Prices, Plans Review
Moneylife Digital Team
04 September 2026
Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is set to review the methodology for determining settlement prices for derivative contracts at expiry, following feedback from market participants regarding the use of the...
