Actor-producer Ajay Devgn’s premium whisky label Glenjouneys, co-founded with beverage entrepreneur Moksh Sani, is preparing to enter the Indian market after an overseas launch six months ago. The brand aims to capture 20% of India’s single malt whisky market within two years and sell 10,000 cases in Maharashtra in the current financial year.

As per the company, the single malt industry in India is growing at around 7% annually, and we are looking at achieving around 20% of that market over the next two years. Maharashtra will be the company’s first major market with a target of 10,000 cases, with a plan to expand to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Chandigarh in November. 

In a conversation with financialexpress.com, Devgn said the overseas debut was deliberate. “We launched it abroad and waited for the response,” he said. Before bringing Glenjouneys home, Devgn and Sani debuted the brand in Dubai, releasing a limited batch of 600 bottles as a test. The duo claims the product “sold out quickly,” giving them the confidence to scale operations in India.

The brand’s first release, The Glen Journey’s Pioneer Edition, is a 21-year-old Highland single malt Scotch whisky is priced between Rs 7,500 and Rs 9,000. India’s alcoholic beverages market size was estimated at $145.50 billion in 2024, as per IMARC Group. The market is expected to reach $175.60 billion by 2033 with a CAGR of 1.90%.

Devgn said the idea for the brand came from his collaboration with Sani and his own love for single malts. “I am basically a malt drinker,” he said. “When I met Moksh, he came up with this idea. He started hunting in Scotland and got some samples ready: bourbon, rum and sherry cask; all three were fabulous. I liked it very much and thought it was a very nice premium quality which we should bring to India, and that’s how it started.”

Sani said Glenjouneys’ differentiator lies in its focus on quality. “Our differentiator is very simple: we try to bring you the best quality at the best price and with a global presence. For Sani, who also runs Living Liquidz and has previously collaborated with Sanjay Dutt on another label, Glenjouneys represents a refined positioning. “Ajay sir personifies the kind of premium, understated sophistication we wanted for Glenjouneys,” he said, describing the actor’s presence as both aspirational and credible for discerning drinkers.

“We believe in the quality; it’s a premium brand. We’ve already won two gold awards for the brand, and we’ve barely started.” Yet, with players like Diageo, Beam Suntory, and Pernod Ricard already expanding their single malt portfolios, alongside local entrants such as Amrut and Paul John, breaking through won’t be easy. 

While celebrity-backed liquor brands have often struggled to find lasting traction, Devgn is clear that Glenjouneys’s differentiation lies in product integrity rather than star power. “We’re concentrating on ourselves,” Devgn said. “We really believe in the quality, and it is really premium. I’m sure whoever tries it, whoever is a malt drinker, will really appreciate it.”

While advertising for alcoholic beverages in India remains restricted, the company plans to build visibility through brand extensions. “We already have an extension of bar accessories, glassware and bar kits,” said Sani. “It’s also a business for us, Glenjouneys will not just produce alcohol but also provide the entire essentials that you require to enjoy a single malt at home.”

Cartel Bros. has built operations in over 50 cities across 12 Indian states and has a growing presence in the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, with more international markets planned. With more celebrities venturing into the alcohol market, there sure seems to be a formation of a trend. Yet, the whisky business remains capital-intensive and regulation-heavy, a far cry from the glamour of film or advertising.

“We just know that we’ve got something good in our hands,” said Sani. “The passion with which we want to run our company and establish the brand will take us far.” If Glenjouneys manages to turn its 20% market share goal into reality within two years, it would mark one of the rare instances where a celebrity-backed label successfully matured into a serious business.