Old Monk Rum Labeling Dispute Escalates in Bombay High Court

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has prohibited the sale of Old Monk rum produced by Mohan Rocky Springwater Pvt Ltd in Maharashtra unless the label is changed from “rum” to “rum-like.” The ban, imposed after laboratory tests detected added rum flavouring, remains in force while the manufacturer challenges the order before a division bench of the Bombay High Court.

CNN-News18Rs 500 crore loss, 300 workers idle: What’s Old Monk’s battle with FSSAI over ‘rum-like’ label Old Monk maker says Maharashtra lost INR300 crore in excise revenue since plant shutdown in May CNBC TV18'Old Monk Ban Costs Maharashtra INR350 Crore in Excise Revenue': Manufacturer Tells Bombay HC Business Standard (India)Bar & BenchOld Monk faces Rs 500 crore loss as FSSAI insists on 'rum-like' label

FSSAI’s authority over alcoholic-beverage labelling derives from the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018, which require that a spirit’s name reflect its composition and that any added flavour be disclosed. The regulator has applied similar bans to variants of McDowell’s No. 1 Rum, Antiquity Blue Whisky, Royal Challenge Whisky, Bagpiper Deluxe Whisky and Old Cask Deluxe XXX Rum.

Old Monk maker says Maharashtra lost INR300 crore in excise revenue since plant shutdown in May Old Monk Sales Ban In Maharashtra: Company Claims INR500 Crore Loss, State Govt Loses INR350 Crore In Excise Revenue CNN-News18'Old Monk Ban Costs Maharashtra INR350 Crore in Excise Revenue': Manufacturer Tells Bombay HC Rs 500 crore loss, 300 workers idle: What’s Old Monk’s battle with FSSAI over ‘rum-like’ label Business Standard (India)Old Monk faces Rs 500 crore loss as FSSAI insists on 'rum-like' label Old Monk sales curbs cost Maharashtra Rs 350 crore in excise revenue, maker tells Bombay high court

• Mohan Rocky Springwater Pvt Ltd – Manufacturer.

Business Standard (India)

• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) – Regulator.

Old Monk faces Rs 500 crore loss as FSSAI insists on 'rum-like' label

• Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh – Represents FSSAI.

Bar & Bench

• Senior Advocate Venkatesh Dhond – Represents the manufacturer.

The Indian Express

• Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna – Judges hearing the dispute.

Bar & Bench

• August 2026 – FSSAI bans selected Old Monk variants after detecting added flavour.

CNN-News18

• 31 August 2026 – Old Monk says it will drop the “7 Years Old Blended” tag and submit revised packaging.

Old Monk maker says Maharashtra lost INR300 crore in excise revenue since plant shutdown in May

• 3 September 2026 – Regulator tells the court Old Monk cannot be sold as rum because it uses neutral spirit and rum flavouring.

Old Monk maker says Maharashtra lost INR300 crore in excise revenue since plant shutdown in May

• 12 October 2026 – Matter heard; manufacturer submits loss estimates.

Rs 500 crore loss, 300 workers idle: What’s Old Monk’s battle with FSSAI over ‘rum-like’ label

• 13 October 2026 – News outlets report the company’s claimed financial impact.

Old Monk sales curbs cost Maharashtra Rs 350 crore in excise revenue, maker tells Bombay high court

• 23 October 2026 – Court scheduled to hear the case on the merits.

Rs 500 crore loss, 300 workers idle: What’s Old Monk’s battle with FSSAI over ‘rum-like’ label

• Manufacturer alleges losses exceeding INR500 crore from the restriction.

The Indian Express

• Indian Express reports the company’s own estimate of INR50 crore profit loss.

Old Monk sales curbs cost Maharashtra Rs 350 crore in excise revenue, maker tells Bombay high court

• Manufacturer claims the Maharashtra State Excise Department has lost around INR350 crore in revenue.

Old Monk sales curbs cost Maharashtra Rs 350 crore in excise revenue, maker tells Bombay high court

• Approximately 300 workers at the Thane-district unit are idle.

The Indian Express

FSSAI maintains that a spirit containing added rum flavouring cannot be marketed simply as “rum” because the label would not accurately convey its composition. Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh told the bench that sales could resume only if the product were described as “rum-like.”

CNN-News18

Mohan Rocky Springwater argues its formulation complies with rules permitting approved additives in neutral-spirit blends. Senior Advocate Venkatesh Dhond noted that the same formulation continues to be sold from the company’s other Maharashtra units and that competing brands use similar processes without bans. The manufacturer offered revised labels that removed age-related descriptors and displayed “added flavour,” but FSSAI has not approved those drafts.

Business Standard (India)

The Bombay High Court declined an interim stay on the prohibition in earlier hearings, leaving the ban in effect while substantive issues are examined.

'Old Monk Ban Costs Maharashtra INR350 Crore in Excise Revenue': Manufacturer Tells Bombay HC

Sources differ on the magnitude of the loss: most cite over INR500 crore, while the Indian Express records INR50 crore. Neither the state excise department nor an independent audit has verified the INR350 crore revenue loss claim. The period covered by these estimates is not disclosed, and no official calculation has been released.

Old Monk sales curbs cost Maharashtra Rs 350 crore in excise revenue, maker tells Bombay high court

“The excise has also lost around INR350 crore in revenue,” — Venkatesh Dhond, senior advocate

Business Standard (India)

The Bombay High Court will hold a final hearing on October 23 to decide whether the manufacturer’s challenge to the FSSAI prohibition succeeds and how the “rum-like” labelling requirement will be applied.

CNBC TV18