After UAE launch, Ajay Devgn-backed GlenJourneys makes India debut, eyes 20% of luxury single malt market

The GlenJourneys, a luxury single malt co-founded by actor-entrepreneur Ajay Devgn and spirits company Cartel Bros, has debuted in the Indian retail market with its Cask Series. The launch follows the global debut of its Pioneer Edition, a 21-year-old Highland single malt priced at ₹50,000, which was limited to 600 bottles and sold in select international duty-free outlets. 

For the Indian market, the Cask Series is priced at ₹6,409 and features finishes in rum, bourbon, and sherry casks, combining traditional Scotch whisky expertise with tastes tailored for domestic consumers. 

Currently, the industry is growing at around 7% annually, with a total size of around 515,000 cases, including 315,000 of imported Scotch malts and 200,000 cases of Indian single malts. The brand aims to capture 20% of the expanding luxury single malt segment within the next two years.  

In India, The GlenJourneys also aims to stand apart in a relatively niche space—the cask-finished single malt segment, where no brand currently offers regular, year-round cask-finished expressions. “Most competitors do one-off or limited-edition cask releases. We wanted to make cask-finishing a defining part of our identity,” said Sani.

Crafted in the Scottish Highlands, each expression of The GlenJourneys blends traditional aging techniques with innovative finishes designed to appeal to both seasoned collectors and younger whisky enthusiasts, the company claims. The whisky is sourced from different independent distilleries and aged in specially selected casks chosen by the founders. “In India, we consume a lot of rum and red wine. Hence, we’ve selected these casks to create a flavour profile that resonates with the Indian palate,” said Mokksh Sani, co-founder of Cartel Bros.

Maharashtra will be the first market for the Cask Series, with a target of 10,000 cases by the end of the financial year. The rollout will extend to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, and Chandigarh in November 2025, with other key metros slated for early 2026.

“Age refines a whisky—but a great cask defines it. Each expression in The GlenJourneys Cask Series has its own distinctive character,” said Sani. The Bourbon Cask Finish offers a golden hue with brilliant clarity, a rich malty aroma layered with vanilla sweetness and hints of summer berries, and a deep, creamy toffee character with a long, sweet finish. The Rum Cask Finish is rounded and mellow, featuring biscuity sweetness, fresh fruit notes, and subtle caramelised fruit tones that linger on the palate. The Sherry Cask Finish, on the other hand, is rich and spicy, with notes of dried fruits, cinnamon sticks, raisins, apricots, and oak — a profile that deepens with a splash of water to release classic sherry-cask flavours.

“Whisky lovers globally are chasing cask-finished malts for the craftsmanship they embody. The GlenJourneys elevates that pursuit with finishes that reflect the quiet power of time, wood, and artistry,” said Ajay Devgn. 

The brand’s global expansion began with a UAE duty-free debut, followed by its India launch. “UAE Duty Free is the world’s biggest. We wanted to start from the biggest,” Devgn explained. “We tested the whisky abroad and received a fabulous response. We were almost sold out internationally, and hence we’ve now launched in India with both the Cask Series and the 21-year-old Pioneer Edition. Our next markets are Europe and Asia, and our goal is to go global.”