Restaurant India News: Amrut Distilleries Appoints Ashok Chokalingam as COO and Master Distiller

Amrut Distilleries has announced the elevation of Ashok Chokalingam as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Master Distiller, a newly created leadership role aimed at aligning operational execution with global market strategy.

The position has been instituted by the company’s board to integrate international marketing functions with technical production expertise. The move reflects a structural shift in the company’s approach, where product development, brand positioning, and global consumer insights are being consolidated under a single leadership framework.

Ashok Chokalingam has played a key role in expanding the global footprint of Indian single malt whisky and has been associated with product innovation and maturation techniques that have contributed to the brand’s international recognition. His experience spans both market-facing roles and distillery operations, enabling a feedback-driven approach where consumer insights influence production decisions.

The company highlighted that insights gathered through global tastings, masterclasses, and interactions with consumers and industry stakeholders are systematically translated into experimentation across cask selection, maturation processes, blending strategies, and flavour development. This approach is aimed at ensuring that product innovation remains aligned with evolving global preferences.

The elevation is also expected to strengthen integration between the company’s commercial and production teams, with a focus on accelerating innovation and maintaining consistency in quality. The development signals a broader intent to reinforce the positioning of Indian single malts in international markets while maintaining a focus on premiumisation.

Rakshit N Jagdale, Managing Director, Amrut Distilleries, said, “Ashok’s elevation is deeply personal and immensely satisfying for me. He embodies the very best of home-grown talent — evolving with the company, challenging conventions and raising the bar for Indian single malt. Beyond technical brilliance, his global mandate makes this appointment special. He has taken India’s whisky story to the world, absorbed international insights and applied them to strengthen our craft at home. He speaks both the language of our house style and the consumer. Formalizing this role gives me immense pride and joy as we continue building a proudly Indian, globally respected house of excellence.”

Ashok Chokalingam (COO & Master Distiller) said, “I am deeply grateful to our Chairman & Managing Director, Neelkanth Rao Jagdale, for his trust and belief in me. Amrut has never been a conventional company, and my journey here has been equally unconventional — from sales and international markets to the still house and maturation warehouses. That freedom to experiment, question norms, and bridge the gap between the market and production has shaped me both as a professional and as a craftsman. Amrut gave me the platform to learn globally and create locally”

“I accept this responsibility with humility and determination, committed to honoring our legacy while continuing to push the boundaries of Indian single malt.”