Indian Made Foreign Liquor
Encyclopedia
Indian Made Foreign Liquor, often abbreviated IMFL, is a term used to denote western-style hard liquors such as whisky
, rum
, vodka
, etc., which are manufactured in India
. It is used to differentiate them from indigenous recipes such as fenny
, toddy
, and arrack, which are collectively called country liquor (in Hindi: desi
sharab).
The term "Indian Made Foreign Liquor" is the official term used by government, business, and print media in India.
, a byproduct of the sugar
industry. For example, whereas a whisky
in most countries would be distilled from grain, Indian whisky
are made from distilled molasses spirit, blended with imported grain or malt-based Scotch . The same applies to other IMFL spirits, like rum or vodka. However some recent entrants distill spirits per traditional methods even when manufacturing in India.
See also Indian beer
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
, rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
, vodka
Vodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
, etc., which are manufactured in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is used to differentiate them from indigenous recipes such as fenny
Fenny
Fenny or Feni is a Goan Spirit made from either coconut or the juice of the cashew apple. The popular brands of fenny are 'Cashyo' , 'Reals' , and 'Big Boss'...
, toddy
Toddy
Toddy may be:* Hot toddy, a mixed drink served hot* Palm wine, also known as palm toddy, an alcoholic beverage.* The toddy palm...
, and arrack, which are collectively called country liquor (in Hindi: desi
Desi
Desi or Deshi refers to the people, cultures, and products of the Indian subcontinent and, increasingly, to the people, cultures, and products of their diaspora. Desi countries include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh...
sharab).
The term "Indian Made Foreign Liquor" is the official term used by government, business, and print media in India.
Manufacture
A common characteristic of many IMFLs, distinct from spirits elsewhere in the world, is that irrespective of the final product the starting ingredient is a neutral spirit distilled from molassesMolasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
, a byproduct of the sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
industry. For example, whereas a whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
in most countries would be distilled from grain, Indian whisky
Indian whisky
Indian whisky is a distilled alcoholic beverage that is labelled as "whisky" in India. Much Indian whisky is based on spirits that are distilled from fermented molasses...
are made from distilled molasses spirit, blended with imported grain or malt-based Scotch . The same applies to other IMFL spirits, like rum or vodka. However some recent entrants distill spirits per traditional methods even when manufacturing in India.
See also Indian beer
Indian beer
Beer in India has been an import since the early 18th century and brewed natively since the late 1820s.-History:Beer began to be exported to India in the early days of the British Empire, including porter and India Pale Ale, also known as IPA....