From the Himalayan brewery to India's oldest spirits group
The history of Mohan Meakin begins in 1855 in the foothills of the Himalayas: British entrepreneur Edward Dyer founded Asia's first brewery in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh – originally to supply the British colonial administration with beer. Two historical premieres originated from this facility: Lion Beer, Asia's first beer brand, and Solan No. 1, India's first single malt whisky. When the brewery was relocated to Solan due to better spring water resources, the Kasauli site was transformed into a distillery – India's first. In the late 19th century, H. G. Meakin from Burton-upon-Trent, the English brewing hub, took over the Kasauli and Solan facilities and continued to expand the network. In 1949, Narendra Nath Mohan, an Indian entrepreneur with vision, acquired a majority stake in the company and laid the foundation for the modern era: an industrial complex with a brewery, distillery, malthouse, glass factory, and other production units was built in Ghaziabad, near Delhi – known today as Mohan Nagar. In 1966, the company name was changed to Mohan Meakin Breweries, and in 1980 to the current company, Mohan Meakin Limited.
Tradition as a benchmark: Craftsmanship over decades
What distinguishes Mohan Meakin from many Indian spirits groups is the consistent reliance on artisanal processes. Old Monk Rum – the house's flagship, first officially tasted in 1954 – is a dark, vatted rum, aged in oak barrels and characterized by a distinct vanilla note. Every bottle is still filled and sealed by hand. The production sites in Kasauli and Solan are still in operation today; the Kasauli plant is considered India's oldest active distillery. Under the long-standing leadership of Brigadier Kapil Mohan, who led the company until his death in 2018, the recipe remained largely unchanged – a conscious decision against mass optimization and in favor of continuity. Today, Hemant Mohan leads the company and focuses on careful modernization without abandoning the historic production sites.
Old Monk and a broad spirits heritage
Old Monk Rum is the house's most famous product and is available in various maturation levels – including the classic 7-year-old expression and the 12-year-old Gold Reserve, which is represented in the Vinoscout range. The 12-year-old rum matures longer in oak barrels and consequently shows deeper aromas: dates, dark chocolate, vanilla, and a long, warm finish. Bottled at 42.8% vol., without chill filtration. In addition to the rum, the range includes whiskies such as Solan No. 1 and Golden Eagle as well as gin bottlings – all products created in one of Asia's oldest distillation infrastructures. Old Monk has won the Monde Selection in gold multiple times since 1982. Neat, on ice, or in a classic rum and coke, the Old Monk Gold Reserve shows what Indian distillation culture with over 170 years of experience means.
