Old Monk has been one of the most renowned rum brands in India for decades and has had a dedicated fan following throughout generations. Its unique bottle, full-bodied taste and nostalgia have turned it into a household brand. But few realise that the brand’s roots can be traced back to the British colonial era, and have an unlikely connection with General Reginald Dyer, the officer responsible for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919. There is an intriguing chapter to the narrative of one of India's most renowned beverages, however the relationship is historical rather than direct.
Old Monk traces its start to the year 1855, when Edward Abraham Dyer, father of General Reginald Dyer set up a brewery at Kasauli in current day Himachal Pradesh. The brewery was established to offer beer to British soldiers deployed in India and subsequently became one of Asia’s first brewing businesses.
The brewery changed hands over the years. H.G. Meakin, a British businessman, bought Dyer’s brewing company and the two companies eventually amalgamated to form Dyer Meakin Breweries. After India’s Independence, the firm was taken over by industrialist Narendra Nath Mohan. Later, it was renamed as Mohan Meakin, signifying its shift into an Indian-owned company.
Brigadier Kapil Mohan formally debuted Old Monk rum in 1954 and made it one of India's most popular spirits brands. The brand is known for its smooth, dark rum and characteristic vanilla undertones and rapidly became popular and a favourite among customers across the country. Old Monk was one of the top-selling rum brands in the world during its height.
The brewery was initially founded by Edward Dyer, father of General Dyer, but the Old Monk brand was really developed by Mohan Meakin decades later when the enterprise fell under Indian control. So the much talked about link is part of the early colonial history of the brand and not its identity as an Indian product.
Despite shifting consumer preferences and increased competition, Old Monk continues to enjoy cult status in India. That extraordinary transformation from a colonial-era brewery to one of the country’s most popular rum brands retains a distinctive mix of history, legacy and nostalgia.
