Old Monk

Old Monk Rum is a vatted Indian dark rum, launched in 1855. It is a dark rum with a distinct vanilla flavour, with an alcohol content of 42.8%. It is produced in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and has registered office in Solan, Himachal Pradesh.

There is no advertising, its popularity depends on word of mouth and loyalty of customers. However, in 2013 Old Monk lost its rank as the largest selling dark rum to McDowell's No.1 Celebration Rum. Old Monk has been the biggest Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) brand for many years.

Old Monk was ranked 5th among Indian spirits brands at the Impact International's 2008 list of "Top 100 Brands At Retail Value" with a retail value of US$240 million.

It is sold in six size variants: 90 ml, 180 ml, 375 ml, 500ml, 750 ml, and 1 litre bottles.
Old Monk had been awarded gold medals at Monde Selections since 1982.

History

In 1855, an entrepreneurial Scotsman named Edward Abraham Dyer, father of Colonel Reginald Dyer set up a brewery in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh to cater to the British requirement for cheap beer. This brewery changed hands and became a distillery by the name of Mohan Meakin Pvt. Ltd.

Old Monk, reportedly a creation of Ved Rattan Mohan, former managing director of Mohan Meakin, was first introduced in India in the 1960s. Colonel Ved Mohan, brother of Kapil Mohan, had been inspired by the serene life of Benedictine monks and the drinks they brewed as they led their ascetic life in the mountains where they lived in content. And hence, the drink got its name. Before Old Monk, there was Hercules rum (still sold) that was distilled exclusively for the armed forces. Superior in taste and perhaps even in quality to Hercules (as loyalists believe), the brand soon became one of the leading dark rums in the world and perhaps the most popular IMFL brand in the country. The affordable pricing strategy has also worked in their favor.

There was a time when Old Monk dominated the rum market. There were other brands also but none came close in quality or popularity. About eight million bottles were sold annually. As of 2015, the sales are a quarter of that and they continue to decline. There were recent rumours about Old Monk closing down but its makers, Mohan Meakin Ltd, assured that Old Monk is not going to be taken off market.

Varieties

Old Monk XXX Very Old Vatted Rum is the original classic Old Monk. All Old Monk Rums variations are dark colored aged blended rums, except the Old Monk White Rum which is filtered to remove color and usually not aged longer hence does not have the barrel's oak flavour.

* Old Monk XXX Very Old Vatted Rum (the original classic Old Monk):
Aged for 7 years XXX grade rum is the original, classic, most popular and most sold among all Old Monk rum varieties, known for its distinctive vanilla and caramel notes. "XXX" or "3X" is a marketing term indicating a higher quality or more aged rum, typically a dark or golden rum.
** Old Monk Coffee Rum:
Coffee infused version of classic Old Monk XXX Rum.
** Old Monk Deluxe XXX Rum:
Perhaps either a marketing term or aged slightly longer than the classic Old Monk XXX Rum with similar taste and flavours.
* Pricier versions

** Old Monk Supreme Rum (comes in a monk-shaped special bottle):
Aged for 12 years and are blended with highly matured spirits, has dark flavors with notes of dark brown sugar, maple, baking spices, and drier (less sweet) oak taste compared to the classic Old Monk. The 1 litre bottle comes in a special bottle in the shape of a standing monk and monk's head bottle cap can also be used as a peg measure.
** Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum:
Aged similar or longer than the Old Monk Supreme Rum, considered sweeter and superior than the Old Monk Supreme Rum due to molasses and caramel flavors.
** Old Monk Legend (limited edition):
Aged 12 years or longer with a blend of careful blending of older well-matured rums to create a premium product, hence pricier than most of domestically produced rums in India.
* White Rums
** Old Monk White Rum:
Aged for a very short period or not at all to produce a clear spirit with a lighter flavor profile, and also involves filtering to remove color acquired during any brief aging, resulting in a much different flavor profile than the dark rums.
* Combo packs
** Old Monk Connoisseur Collection:
Combination of 7 types with different flavours including the Old Monk Orange Rum, Old Monk Lemon Rum, Old Monk Apple Rum, Old Monk White Rum, Old Monk Cola, Old Monk Cranberry, and Old Monk Mojito.

International

Old Monk is sold by some retailers in Russia, United States, UK, Germany, Japan, UAE, Estonia, Finland, Qatar, New Zealand, Canada, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Cameroon, Australia, Singapore, Bahrain Malaysia, Cyprus,Old Monk Distributor Website
/ref> and Oman.

See also

* Alcoholic Indian beverages
* List of vedic and ayurvedic alcoholic drinks
* Desi daru
* Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL)
* Indian whisky

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