Top 10 Indian Rum Brands You Must Try This Winter Season

You cannot have a rum list and not mention the legendary and iconic Old Monk. The OG was founded in 1954 and became an instant hit. Over the years, it has become a go-to rum for Indians, no matter what age group. The best part is that it's super affordable and a good place to start your rum journey from. It has a smooth, rich, and sweet taste profile with significant notes of caramel, vanilla, and spice, and underlying notes of dried fruits, roasted coffee, chocolate, and warm oakiness.

Price: Starts at INR 400 for 750 ml

LBB Tip: Old Monk also offers a coffee-infused variant, Old Monk Coffee, that blends rich dark rum with coffee. It's slightly sweeter and can be enjoyed neat.

This Goan rum has become a hot new favourite amongst rum drinkers. Maka Zai means 'I Want' in Konkani, and clearly everyone wants it! It comes in two variants — White (Bartender's Edition) and Gold (Tribute Edition) — and each highlights a different flavour profile. The White variant is crisp and clean with tropical sugarcane notes, while the gold is more complex and rich, with aged flavours like caramel, vanilla, and spice.

Price: Starts at INR 650 for 750 ml

If you've seen Shark Tank, you already know about this one. Inspired by the Rock Paper Scissors game, Rock Paper Rum is handcrafted in small batches by Good Barrel Distillery. It's a playful spirit with unique flavours like Spiced (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves), Coconut, and Zesty Lemon. What's more? It's triple-distilled for smoothness and made from locally sourced sugarcane, blended with rare botanicals.

Price: Starts at INR 1,500 for 750 ml

Next on the list, we have two fine homegrown rums from the makers of the fine single malts, Amrut: Two Indies and Old Port Deluxe Matured Rum. Two Indies is a classic ode to Indian ingredients with notes of sugarcane, banana and other ripe fruits. You can actually taste the sugarcane when you drink it. It has a sweet-ish taste with a dry finish. Meanwhile, the Old Port Deluxe Matured Rum is more silky, a little spicy with hints of fruity flair. You’ll definitely taste ginger and nutmeg in this one, making it perfect for those chilly nights. 

Price: Starts at INR 850 for 750 ml

A hidden gem from the jungles of Kerala, Wild Tiger rum is famous for having an almost bourbon flavour — Thanks to the ex-bourbon casks it's aged in. It has two variants: Spiced Rum and Special Reserve. What we love about them is how the Spiced variant features a unique blend of Indian spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger and offers a complex, spicy, yet smooth flavour perfect for first-time drinkers and rum lovers. Special Reserve, on the other hand, is sweeter with notes of vanilla, caramel, toffee, almond and hints of fruit and coffee.

Price: Starts at INR 1,500 for 750 ml

LBB Tip: The brand supports the Wild Tiger Foundation, and a portion of the purchase proceeds goes towards the conservation of tigers in India. So, drink Wild Tiger, save wild tigers! 

A Goan rum, Cabo White rum, is going to change how you view Goa vacations. It's a coconut-y drink you can mix into a cocktail or have on the rocks. Sweeter than most other rums, it has a tropical hit and crisp notes of sugarcane, citrus and vanilla, making it perfect for Goa. It's a great pick-me-up for the beachside or your Airbnb. You can also get it as a souvenir for your friends and family.

Price: Starts at INR 1,000 for 750 ml

Pro Tip: The Goan Spirit: This White Rum Makes For A Great Gift From Goa

Segredo Aldeia, meaning 'Secret Village' in Portuguese, is a contemporary Indian run from Goa. From a tropical Portuguese village in Goa, famed for its rum, it tells a unique tale of Goa's pirate lore. Distilled by Fullarton Distillers, there are two variants: a white rum and a cafe rum. Cafe Rum is made with Goan coffee, blended with jaggery for rich coffee notes, vanilla, and caramel. The white rum is clear and creamy with notes of sugarcane and citrus.

Price: Starts at INR 1,600 for 750 ml

Pro Tip: This Portuguese Goan Village's Famous Rum Is Being Revived For This New Era

Part of the Boutique Spirits Brand, Gladius is a 10-year-old blended rum. It is smooth, soft and combines sweet and woody notes. It features caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and fruity hints (like citrus), alongside subtle woody undertones from its ageing. This creates a smooth, caramelly, and buttery finish, making it Ideal for new rum drinkers. However, if you don't like extremely sweet spirits, this one is not for you.

Price: Starts at INR 800 for 750 ml

India's first premium, pure sugarcane-juice rum, Camikara, has become a new favourite among rum drinkers. While other rums are made from molasses, this rum is made using traditional methods from sugarcane and aged in oak barrels for 3, 8, or 12 years. The flavour profile is rich and layered. The 3-year-old rum has hints of melon, honey, vanilla, caramel, and oak, with a subtly smoky finish. The 8 year has a more developed oak flavour with vanilla, leather, honey, ginger, and sweet spices, while the 12-year-old rum is even more complex. It has richer notes of honey, dark chocolate, orange peel, toffee, fruit cake, tobacco, cloves, and deeper oak. 

Price: Starts at INR 1,500 for 750 ml

A bold, dark Indian rum, Pitbull rum is one of the best homegrown, spicy Caribbean-inspired rums on the market. It is barrel-aged and features notes of caramel, toffee, oak and vanilla. The texture is smooth and velvety, with a smoky finish, so you can have it neat or with other mixers or just water. We suggest mixing it with ginger ale or Coca-Cola for the best flavour. What we love about the brand is how they have based their rum on the misunderstood dog breed.

Price: Starts at INR 800 for 750 ml

Looking for more alcohol? Check out best vodka brands, Indian gin brand, red wine brands and white wine brands too.