Gamber Valley Gives Solan A New Whisky Identity

Solan in Himachal Pradesh is known for two things: mushroom cultivation and as the home to Asia’s first distillery. Ushering in a new era for the hill town’s whisky legacy is the 24-year-old Alcobrew Distilleries, with its Gamber Valley Indian single malt. Currently, there are two limited-edition expressions: Gamber Valley Private Collection 1, priced between ₹13,000 and ₹16,000, and Gamber Valley The Vault Series, priced between ₹7,000 and ₹10,000. Ashutosh Rajput, Chief Operating Officer, Alcobrew Distilleries India, shared that two new expressions will be launched by October 2026.

Alcobrew Distillery in Solan produces Gamber Valley Indian single malt

The foothills of the Shivalik range play the role of both muse and protagonist. The single malt takes its name from the valley in which it is made. The brand’s logo, too, is inspired by the Himalayan Monal, an indigenous landfowl. Alcobrew’s state-of-the-art distillery with two copper pot stills is located on the banks of River Gamber. Here, summer temperatures vary between 20°C and 33°C while winter temperatures range from 15°C during the day to 0°-5°C at night. Compared to Scotland, this swing is significant, impacting the spirit ageing in ex-Bourbon casks. Gamber Valley Indian single malt uses both two-row and six-row barley. The former is imported and is known for its distinctive sweetness and clean finish, while the latter is sourced from Rajasthan and Haryana and, with a higher protein content, offers an expansive flavour profile and greater complexity.

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The company, which produces IMFL brands such as Golfer’s Shot, Old Smuggler, White Hill and Golden Circle, set up the Solan distillery four years ago. The impetus for a single malt product came from the growth projections of the single malt segment; it is expected to reach `130 billion by FY2030, expanding at a CAGR of approximately 20% from FY2025 to FY2030 from an estimated base of `52 billion in FY2025. According to Rajput, in 2024, Indian single malts surpassed imported Scotch in volume terms for the first time, accounting for approximately 53% of total single malt case sales. Behaviourally, he adds, Millennials and Gen Z prefer to “drink less, but better.” While urban centres remain the core markets, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are emerging as high-potential growth areas.

Rajput also said, “We are entering at a moment when the category is still being defined, which means the brands that build credibility now will own the narrative for the next decade. Our phased rollout is deliberate; we are building depth in each market before we move to the next, because this is a brand built to last, not to spike.”

Gamber Valley Indian single malt is currently available across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Chandigarh. The whisky will also be available in Rajasthan, Odisha, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Delhi NCT by the end of the year.

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