India's Godawan Wins ‘Single Malt of the Year’ and ‘Spirit of the Year.

Hyderabad, July 2026: 

Godawan Artisanal Single Malt Whisky by Godawan Distilleries, in Rajasthan, has won two major awards at the Bartender Spirits Awards 2026 held in Chicago, USA. Godawan 02 Fruit & Spice was named Spirit of the Year – India and Indian Single Malt Whisky of the Year, taking the brand’s total international awards to over 125.

The Spirit of the Year – India award recognises the highest-ranked Indian spirit across all categories at the competition and is the competition’s most coveted title awarded to the spirit with the highest aggregate performance overall. Along with these two awards, Godawan 02 Fruit & Spice also received a Double Gold Medal, while Godawan 01 Rich & Rounded won a Gold Medal. These awards recognise the quality and consistency of Godawan’s whiskies.

Organised by the Beverage Trade Network, the Bartender Spirits Awards are among the few global competitions judged by those who work closely with spirits every day - bartenders, bar managers and hospitality professionals. Spirits are blind tasted for their liquid quality, aroma, flavour, balance and overall character, and then evaluated on packaging and value.

Commenting on the achievement, Vikram Damodaran, Chief Innovation Officer, Diageo India, said, “We have always believed that the liquid has to speak for itself. From the beginning, our ambition was to create the finest single malt that could stand alongside global whiskies. To be recognised as Spirit of the Year – India and Indian Single Malt Whisky of the Year by bartenders and spirits professionals who work with some of the finest spirits in the world every day is a powerful endorsement of the whisky itself and the distinctive identity we have worked hard to create.” Crafted in Rajasthan, Godawan draws its unique character from one of the world's most demanding whisky-making climates. The region's intense heat and dry conditions create a rich, concentrated flavour profile, while the whisky is finished in specially treated casks infused with Indian botanicals, including Rasna and Jatamansi, giving it a flavour profile that is uniquely its own.