Regulations 2 1 2 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Regulations 2.1 to 2.5 of the Alcoholic Beverages Regulations, 2018 define five distilled beverages: brandy, country liquor (now also called Indian liquor), feni, gin and rum. Each regulation says what the product is made from and ends by tying it to the general requirements in Part 1 and the requirements in Table-1.
The text is read as amended up to 19 November 2025 (FSSAI Compendium Version V dated 04.12.2025). FSSAI compendia are reference consolidations and the Gazette text prevails. Later notifications should be checked on fssai.gov.in. Distillers and bottlers working with these products usually need a central FSSAI licence in place before they launch a label.
Each standard in Part 2 begins with a definition of the product by raw material and process, then says the product must also conform to Part 1 and Table-1. Brandy comes from wine; country liquor from fermented carbohydrates of agricultural origin; feni from cashew apple or coconut toddy; gin from neutral spirit flavoured with juniper; rum from sugarcane products. The compositional limits themselves sit in the Tables, not in these regulations.
Regulation 2.1: brandy
Brandy is "an alcoholic beverage made by distillation of wine" and may be aged or matured to possess aroma and taste characteristic of brandy.
| Clause | Type | What the text says |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1.1 | Grape brandy | An alcoholic distillate obtained solely from the fermented juice of grapes; distilled to a suitable strength so the distillate has aroma and taste derived from the grapes and from fermentation and ageing |
| 2.1.2 | Blended brandy | A mixture of minimum 2 per cent. of pure grape brandy with any other fruit or flower brandy or neutral spirit or rectified spirit of agricultural origin |
| 2.1.3 | Indian Brandy | Made either from neutral spirit or rectified spirit or a mixture of both |
Two labelling points are printed. Brandy made from any fruit other than grapes must carry the fruit name before the word "Brandy"; the compendium's example is Apple Brandy or Plum Brandy. For Indian Brandy, the label must follow the name with a bracketed statement, "made from molasses spirit/grain spirit/neutral spirit", in a font size that is easily readable, and the words "Indian" and "Brandy" must be the same size. Regulation 2.1.3 appears in the compendium as an inserted provision.
Regulation 2.2: country liquors or Indian liquors
The compendium prints regulation 2.2 twice. The first print is the older text; the second is a substituted text said to come into force on 1 January 2026. Only the substituted text applies today.
Under the substituted 2.2, country liquors or Indian liquors or spirits are alcoholic beverages obtained from distillation of fermentable carbohydrates of agricultural origin. Two types are named.
- 2.2.1 Plain country liquor or plain Indian liquor is made from alcoholic distillate obtained from fermented molasses, jaggery (Gur), mash of cereals, potato, cassava, fruits, juice or sap of coconut and palm trees, mahua flowers or any other carbohydrates of agricultural origin.
- 2.2.2 Blended country liquor or blended Indian liquor is a blend of an alcoholic distillate, rectified spirit or neutral spirit.
A Note adds that such liquor shall conform to Part 1 and Table-1, and that "Product name and ingredients or raw materials for such products are specified in Annexure-1 of these regulations and the same are not exhaustive". Annexure-1 is covered in our article on Tables 1 to 4 and Annexure-1.
Regulation 2.3: feni
"Fenny or Feni is a distilled liquor made from the fermented juice of cashew apple or coconut toddy." It must conform to Part 1 and Table-1. The regulation is the shortest of the five: it names the raw material and sets no further process condition.
Regulation 2.4: gin
Gin is "a distilled alcoholic beverage made from neutral spirit of agricultural origin flavoured with juniper berries and or other flavoring agents of botanical origin". Two further conditions are printed: it must be clear and must not develop any turbidity on dilution with water, and it must have the characteristic aroma and taste associated with gin. It must conform to Part 1 and Table-1.
Regulation 2.5: rum
Rum is "an alcoholic distillate obtained from fermented juice of sugarcane, sugarcane molasses, or any other sugarcane product". It "shall not contain any colouring matter other than caramel". It may also be prepared from neutral, rectified or distilled spirit of agricultural origin. Rum without colour is designated white rum. It must possess the characteristic taste and aroma associated with the product and conform to Part 1 and Table-1.
An invented example: Goa Coast Distillers makes cashew-apple spirit and sells it as feni, and also sells a gin made from neutral spirit with juniper and citrus peel. The feni is within 2.3 because of its raw material. The gin is within 2.4, and a batch that turns cloudy on adding water does not match the clarity condition. A rum line from the same company can add caramel but no other colouring.
Common threads
Every standard in this group ends with the same sentence: conformity with the general requirement in Part 1 and the requirements in Table-1. Part 1 supplies the abv tolerance, water, additive and container rules (see our article on Part 1). The remaining distilled standards, vodka, liqueur, whisky and pot-still spirit, follow the same pattern. The overview post alcoholic beverages under FSSAI gives the broader picture.
Need help with a spirits licence?
Spirits brands often launch several variants at once, and each one has to fit a defined category. Our central FSSAI licence team can help match each product to the right regulation before the licence application is filed.
Key takeaways
- Brandy is made by distillation of wine; non-grape brandy carries the fruit name before "Brandy".
- Indian Brandy labels must carry the bracketed raw-material statement and equal-sized words "Indian" and "Brandy".
- Only the substituted regulation 2.2 (country liquors or Indian liquors) is law; the older print is superseded.
- Feni comes from cashew apple or coconut toddy; gin must be clear on dilution; rum may be coloured only with caramel.
- Every standard ends by pointing to Part 1 and Table-1.
Read next
- Part 1: definitions and general requirements
- Regulations 2.6–2.9: vodka, liqueur, whisky and pot-still spirit
- Tables 1–4 and Annexure-1
- Alcoholic beverages regulation under FSSAI
Disclaimer: Based on the FSSAI regulations named above as consolidated in FSSAI's compendium versions or as published in the Gazette, with the later notifications the article names (consulted on fssai.gov.in on 2-3 October 2026). Later notifications and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 provisions referred to should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.