Indian Brand Gone Global : Old Monk
Nothing brings India together like an Old Monk peg and a bowl of snacks. This is the rum that most Indians swear by, regardless of caste, class, or creed. Here are some lesser-known facts about the great “Budha Sadhu” to ponder while sitting here toasting for the brand’s 137th year in 2022.
Amazing Origins
In 1855, a Scottish entrepreneur named Edward Abraham Dyer opened the Cassaulier brewery in India to produce cheap beer for the British. Around the same time, Meakin & Co. It was founded by a man named H. G. Meekin, Inc. The two companies operated independently until the mid-1920s, after which they formed a joint venture called Dyer Meakin & Co.Ltd. In 1949, N.N. Mohan built a large industrial center near Ghaziabad (UP) to run his business.
Old Monk, a dark cask rum with a distinct vanilla flavor, was officially launched in 1954 and renamed Mohan Meakin Limited in 1966. Edward Abraham Dyer is the inventor of Old Monk, her favorite Friday night drink and her worst nightmare. As you know, he is also the father of Colonel Reginald Edward Harry Dyer, who was responsible for the Jalianwala Bagh Massacre in Amritsar.
Always a winner
Not just amongst the crowd as a favorite hard drink, but has won awards too. Old Monk won a gold medal at the Monde World Selections in 1982.
Beauty in all shapes and sizes!
7-year-old monk, the original and still most popular variation sold in 6 sizes. HG Meakin’s whimsical 1-liter head-shaped bottle is certainly the pride of every Old Monk devotee.
Collector’s Pride
Old Monk produces several other rums in addition to Legend, including White, Spice, Gold Reserve, and Supreme Variety. Old Monk Supreme XXX rum comes in a standing monk-shaped bottle. The bottle cap or “monk’s head” serves as a measure of the stake.
Did you know that
Old Monk, loved by the public, is the third-largest rum in the world? And it has never been officially advertised! Surprisingly, rum became a cult hit in India, and Mumbai has a fan club called COMRADES. It stands for Council of Old Friars Addicts on Roma and Eccentrics and was founded by commercial photographer Jan Pereira who has been obsessed with this combination for the past 27 years!
For everyone!
If the beer doesn’t float and the rum doesn’t float, here’s the news. Mohan Meakin Brewery also produces Old Monk 10000 Super Beer. 8% abv but apparently only sold in Goa.
Global Thirst Quencher
If you’re an avid rum fan like me, know that your next sip will never (nearly) be far away, as Old Monk rum is sold in many countries and online around the world. However, the alcohol content in the US is 40% compared to 42.8% in the Indian version. Also, the military release has 50% alcohol, so I’m curious as to why you drink it faster. (Yes!)
Old Monk hasn’t changed a bit since its release.
Whatever your strengths, here’s another reassuring fact. A classic chocolate brown blended rum in a unique bottle – thick, short, and tough – tastes exactly the same as it did years ago. In an ever-changing world, this is definitely something to be grateful for.
Why is the old monk called the old monk?
The old monk’s name was inspired by the quiet and serene life he made himself while observing asceticism in a high mountain range. See Old Monk is a rum toast to good times. The rum that drowns sorrow at three in the morning on Wednesday. It’s a rum you buy in bulk when you need to get drunk because it’s economical and does the job well.
It’s no surprise that no Indian bar is complete without a bottle of our unofficial national drink.