Godawan whisky is an artisanal Indian single malt made by Diageo India in Alwar, Rajasthan, launched in 2022. It is the most distinctive of India’s major single malts, finished in casks treated with two Indian botanicals, Rasna and Jatamansi, a process no other distillery in the world uses. Named after the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard, it funds the bird’s conservation with every bottle sold. The core range is two expressions, Godawan 01 “Rich & Rounded” and Godawan 02 “Fruit & Spice”, both at 46% ABV. Made from six-row barley in desert heat, it shows a brighter, more aromatic style than the southern malts. Start with 01.
Who is Godawan?
Godawan is the work of The Good Craft Co., Diageo India’s craft and innovation hub, set up in 2022 to push the company into premium, characterful spirits. When the world’s largest spirits group decides to make an artisanal single malt, it does not do it quietly, and Godawan is Diageo’s statement that India deserves a serious craft malt of its own.
The whisky is distilled in Alwar, Rajasthan, in genuine desert country. This is the most extreme terroir of any major Indian distillery, hotter and drier than the coastal or northern producers, and that environment is central to the brand’s identity rather than an inconvenience to be managed.
There is a purpose behind the name. Godawan is the local name for the Great Indian Bustard, a bird once common across India and now critically endangered, with only around 150 left, almost all in Rajasthan. The bird is on the label, and the brand contributes to conserving its habitat with every bottle. It is the rare distillery whose story is as much about conservation as cask strength.
Why Godawan tastes the way it does
Two things shape Godawan. The first is the desert climate. Temperatures in Rajasthan regularly reach 38°C and beyond, which drives a high angel’s share and fast maturation, but the dry heat gives a different result from Goa’s wet humidity, leaning toward a brighter, more aromatic and spice-driven profile than the heavier tropical southern malts.
The second is the part nobody else does. Godawan is made from locally sourced six-row barley with a long fermentation of 55 to 65 hours, then finished in casks that have been treated with two Indian botanicals, Rasna and Jatamansi, drawn from Ayurvedic tradition and chosen from among 5,000 candidates. These botanical-conditioned casks give the whisky a spice and herbal lift that no other single malt in the world carries. It is the kind of idea that could easily have been a gimmick, and the run of awards suggests it is not.
The Godawan range
The core range is two expressions, and the distillery keeps them deliberately simple to tell apart.
Godawan 01, “Rich & Rounded”, is matured in ex-bourbon and PX sherry casks, the botanical treatment included. It is the richer, smoother of the two, leaning into caramel, roasted nuts and soft spice. Godawan 02, “Fruit & Spice”, uses cherry wood casks alongside ex-bourbon, which release vanilla and clove into the spirit, giving a brighter, fruit-forward character with sweet ginger and coconut.
Above the core sit a handful of limited and special editions, including the 100-bottle Godawan Century released for the brand’s first anniversary, a Triple Cask, a travel exclusive, and a bottling made for the Taj palaces.
What we make of Godawan
Tasting Godawan 01 and 02 side by side is the clearest way to understand what Diageo is doing here, because the two expressions are built to show off the same unusual process from two angles.
| Godawan 01 “Rich & Rounded” | Godawan 02 “Fruit & Spice” | |
|---|---|---|
| Casks | Ex-bourbon and PX sherry, botanical-treated | Cherry wood and ex-bourbon, botanical-treated |
| ABV | 46% | 46% |
| Character | Caramel, roasted nuts, soft spice, rounded | Vanilla, sweet ginger, coconut, brighter fruit |
| For whom | Drinkers who like richer, sherried malts | Drinkers who want brighter spice and fruit |
The 01 is the one we would point a newcomer to first: PX sherry brings dark sweetness and the botanical casks add a gentle, herbal spice underneath the caramel and nuts, and it holds together as a rounded, easy-drinking malt. The 02 is the more individual of the pair, with the cherry wood pushing vanilla and clove forward and a sweet ginger lift that you simply do not find in other Indian malts.
What both share is a lighter, more aromatic feel than Amrut or Paul John. Where the southern distilleries lean into heavy tropical fruit, Godawan’s desert spirit and botanical finishing give it a brighter, more perfumed character. It is the most clearly different of the five major Indian single malts, and the botanical treatment is the reason.
Is it at the same level of overall recognition as Amrut Fusion or Indri Trini yet? Not quite. But it is doing something genuinely new in a category that is starting to fill with similar bottles, and that originality counts for a great deal.
Godawan 01: the one to start with
Godawan 01 is the natural entry point, the rounder and more immediately likeable of the two expressions.
Godawan 01 “Rich & Rounded” — tasting note
Nose: caramel, roasted nuts, dried fruit, soft herbal spice Palate: PX sweetness, raisin, milk chocolate, vanilla, gentle spice Finish: rounded and warm, soft oak, lingering spice ABV: 46% | Cask type: ex-bourbon and PX sherry, botanical-treated | Price: approx. £60 to £70
If you prefer brighter, spicier whisky, go straight to the 02 instead. The two are different enough that the choice comes down to which profile you lean toward.
What is new at Godawan
In June 2026, Godawan announced it had crossed 125 global awards since its 2022 launch, an unusually fast haul for a brand barely four years old, spanning recognition for the whisky itself as well as its packaging and design. Both core expressions took Triple Gold at the Superior Taste Awards in 2026.
The brand continues to lean on its conservation story, tying its growth to Diageo India’s wider sustainability commitments, and it keeps expanding into new markets and travel retail as Indian single malt demand climbs worldwide.
Price and where to buy Godawan
Godawan 01 and 02 both cost around £60 to £70 for a 70cl bottle, with the limited and special editions priced well above that. Prices vary between markets because of local taxes and duty.
In the UK, The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt stock the range, and Godawan is increasingly available across Europe and in travel retail as Diageo expands its distribution. Most specialist retailers ship internationally.
Is Godawan worth it?
Yes, especially if you value originality. Godawan is not trying to out-muscle Amrut or out-sell Indri. It is making a brighter, more aromatic style of Indian single malt, with a botanical cask process that genuinely has no equivalent anywhere else, and a conservation purpose behind every bottle.
Start with the 01 for the rounder, sherried profile, try the 02 for the cherry-wood spice, and treat Godawan as the most distinctive of the five major Indian distilleries rather than the most powerful. In a category that is growing fast and starting to repeat itself, that distinctiveness is exactly what makes it worth a place on the shelf.
Frequently asked questions
What is Godawan whisky? Godawan is an artisanal Indian single malt made by Diageo India in Alwar, Rajasthan, launched in 2022. It is made from six-row barley in a desert climate and finished in casks treated with two Indian botanicals, Rasna and Jatamansi, a process unique to the brand. It is named after the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard.
What is the difference between Godawan 01 and 02? Godawan 01 “Rich & Rounded” is matured in ex-bourbon and PX sherry casks, giving caramel, roasted nuts and soft spice. Godawan 02 “Fruit & Spice” uses cherry wood and ex-bourbon casks, giving a brighter, fruit-forward character with vanilla, sweet ginger and coconut. Both are bottled at 46% ABV and use the brand’s botanical-treated casks.
Why is Godawan whisky special? Godawan finishes its whisky in casks treated with two Indian botanicals, Rasna and Jatamansi, drawn from Ayurvedic tradition and chosen from 5,000 candidates. No other single malt distillery in the world uses this process. The whisky also funds conservation of the endangered Great Indian Bustard, the bird it is named after.
How much does Godawan whisky cost? Godawan 01 and 02 both cost around £60 to £70 for a 70cl bottle. Limited and special editions, including the Godawan Century and Triple Cask, cost considerably more. Prices vary between markets because of local taxes and import duty.
Where can I buy Godawan whisky? In the UK, The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt stock Godawan. It is increasingly available across Europe and in travel retail as Diageo expands distribution. Most specialist retailers ship internationally.
Is Godawan as good as Amrut or Indri? Godawan is not yet at the same level of overall recognition as Amrut Fusion or Indri Trini, but it is the most distinctive of the five major Indian single malts. Its desert terroir and unique botanical cask treatment give it a brighter, more aromatic style that no other distillery offers, which is its real appeal.
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