🥃 Royal Challenge American Pride
The Royal Challenge version from Diageo: American bourbon with Indian grain and malt spirits, aged in charred American oak casks.
Royal Challenge American Pride is a version of the Indian whisky brand Royal Challenge, made by United Spirits (Diageo) and aimed at younger drinkers. Its main difference from Royal Challenge Whisky is that the blend uses American bourbon instead of Scotch whisky. Diageo does not state the strength on its product page.
On the Diageo website TheBar.com the drink is described as a “new world” whisky: soft American bourbon blended with Indian grain and malt spirits and matured in charred American oak casks. In June 2022 FoodBusinessMEA wrote that Diageo India had launched this version to reach young buyers. The outlet called it an American bourbon, but according to the producer's description, bourbon is only part of the blend.
Why it matters. Compare it with Royal Challenge Whisky: there the blend contains Scotch whisky, here bourbon; both are based on Indian spirits. So it is neither bourbon nor American whisky, and in the EU such a blend does not automatically fall under the “whisky” category. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe dose of alcohol.
Facts
| Raw material | American bourbon, Indian grain and malt spirits (per Diageo) |
|---|---|
| Cask type | charred American oak (per Diageo) |
| Year founded | no later than 2022 (per FoodBusinessMEA, 06.06.2022) |
| Legal basis | Indian rules (FSSAI); for the EU — Reg. (EU) 2019/787, cat. 2, a different composition requirement |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Royal Challenge American Pride → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Royal Challenge, 🥃 Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 McDowell's No.1, 🥃 Bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Royal Challenge Whisky, 🥃 Royal Challenge Whisky
Frequently asked questions
Is Royal Challenge American Pride a bourbon?
No. According to Diageo, it is a blend of American bourbon with Indian grain and malt spirits, that is, an Indian drink.
When did Royal Challenge American Pride appear?
The producer gives no exact date; in June 2022 FoodBusinessMEA already wrote about this version as a new product from Diageo India.
What casks is American Pride aged in?
According to Diageo's description, charred American oak casks.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Bourbon whiskey — American whiskey from a mash of at least 51% corn, stored in new charred oak barrels and bottled at 40% ABV or more.
- 🥃 McDowell's No.1 — Indian blended brand sold as whisky (IMFL) since 1968; Scotch, Indian malt and grain spirit; owned by United Spirits (Diageo).
Similar
🥃 Royal Challenge Whisky · 🥃 McDowell's No.1 Reserve Whisky · 🥃 Pappy Van Winkle's 20 Year · 🥃 Pappy Van Winkle's 23 Year · 🥃 Crow 86 · 🥃 Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Diageo, TheBar.com: Royal Challenge American Pride (new-world whiskey: American Bourbon blended with Indian grain and malt spirits, matured in charred American oak casks)
- Food Business MEA: Diageo India intensifies premiumization (06.06.2022; Royal Challenge American Pride introduced for young consumers)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)