In a continuation of their craft journey in India, Diageo has launched Godawan, a single malt whisky that is available in 2 expressions.

Godawan is the Indian name for the Great Indian Bustard. A close contender to be the National bird of India, it was pipped to the post by the more flamboyant peacock. Once widely found, it’s now largely confined to Rajasthan’s Desert National Park and is “critically endangered”, as described by WWF India, with a population of just 200.

Most Indian single malts as does Godawan, use the six-row barley, as opposed to the two-row barley in Scotland with the high protein content of the former giving a unique flavour profile to the whisky. Godawan also goes through a long fermentation cycle of 55-65 hours helping ensure they get the maximum malt character out of the barley. The high temperatures in Rajasthan, also lead to a faster maturation and a “depth of flavour” says Diageo.

As a finishing touch for the whisky, Diageo has used two local botanicals called Rasna and Jatamansi. Casks previously steeped in these two botanicals have been used to finish Godawan, giving it a “unique spice note”.

Godawan has been launched in two variants, 01 and 02, or as they’re described on the label Rich and Rounded and Fruity and Spicy respectively. Truly new world malts, giving consumers a clear idea of what to expect from each.