Bagpiper is a brand of Indian whisky, manufactured by United Spirits Ltd (USL), a subsidiary of Diageo. It was launched in October 1976. Bagpiper is sold in a square bottle with black and gold packaging design. The company describes the whisky's flavour as "a light malty aroma and a hint of a smooth woody character, owing to the use of malt spirits specifically matured in pre-identified American oakcasks".[1] It is similar to a blended whisky flavored with pot stillmalt whisky, but the neutral spirits used as base are distilled from molasses instead of grain.
The brand uses tamper-proof bottles. It also introduced whisky in Tetra Pak. Bagpiper was the seventh largest selling spirits brand by volume in 2010, according to London-based liquor research firm International Wine & Spirit Research (IWSR). The brand sold 16.92 million cases of 9 litres each that year. It was ranked ninth in the 2009.[2]
Bagpiper is exported to ten countries,[1] including those in the Middle East.[2]
History
Bagpiper was launched in 1976 by Herbertsons Limited, which had been acquired by the United Breweries Group in 1973. Herbertsons Limited was merged with several other UB Group-owned companies to form United Spirits Limited in 2006.[3]
Bagpiper was India's largest selling whisky from 2005 until 2010,[4] when it was overtaken by Officer's Choice, which is manufactured by Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD).[5]