BOHO Whisky
An easy-going Indian blended whisky with ripe fruit, vanilla and a little smoke in the mix. We went back to BOHO to see if a few drops of water could change the way it drinks.
Tasting notes
Listen to the review
The bottle
BOHO comes from ADS Spirits and sits firmly in the accessible end of India's blended whisky market. The brand itself launched in 2024, with BOHO positioned around a more contemporary take on the category.
The first thing we noticed, though, wasn't the liquid. It was the packaging.
BOHO arrives in a jute bag, and for a whisky at this end of the price spectrum, we thought the presentation was genuinely well done. The bottle itself keeps things fairly clean rather than trying too hard to look expensive.
At 42.8% ABV, it also sits a little above the 40% mark common across plenty of mainstream whisky bottles. The published tasting profile leans toward ripe pear, summer fruits, floral notes, vanilla and subtle peat. That's broadly the direction we found in the glass too.
Our take
Here's the thing about BOHO: We didn't love it neat.
And that's worth saying because this isn't a review where we're going to tell you that every bottle gets better if you just give it enough attention.
Our first pour didn't really do much for us. The whisky felt fairly straightforward and didn't immediately give us a reason to go back for another sip.
Then we added a little water. That changed things.
The fruit started to show up properly. Pear became much easier to pick out, followed by sweeter summer-fruit notes, some vanilla and a delicate floral character. There is also a little peat and smoke in the background, but it stays well away from centre stage.
That made BOHO much more interesting for us.
And this is where we think the bottle makes its case. We're not putting BOHO up against Black Label, Chivas or the more expensive Indian single malts. That's not really the conversation.
If your regular whisky is Royal Stag, Royal Challenge, Royal Green or something in that neighbourhood, you've probably been drinking the same kind of whisky for a while.
BOHO gives you a reason to try something different without asking you to spend a fortune.
At around ₹850 in Delhi NCR when we reviewed it, that's a reasonable proposition - although liquor pricing varies by state, so don't treat that number as a national MRP.
Would we drink it neat? Probably not.
Would we keep some water nearby? Absolutely.
And honestly, that's part of what makes this bottle worth talking about.
If you've been buying the same bottle for years, BOHO is worth a shot. Just keep the water handy.
Keep reading
Why India’s Alcohol Market Isn’t Really One Market
Why Whisky Ages Differently in India
Frequently asked questions
Is BOHO Whisky a single malt or a blended whisky?
BOHO is an Indian blended whisky, not a single malt. The bottle is positioned by ADS Spirits as a contemporary take on blended whisky, with the brand built around its “Blend Out” identity.
What does BOHO Whisky taste like?
BOHO leans fruit-forward rather than heavily smoky. In our tasting, ripe pear and sweeter summer-fruit notes came through alongside vanilla and a softer floral character, with a light touch of peat and smoke sitting in the background.
Is BOHO Whisky smoky or peaty?
Not really — at least not in the way a heavily peated whisky is. BOHO has a light touch of peat and smoke, but they stay in the background rather than taking over the glass. The fruit, vanilla and floral notes remain the main event.
Should you drink BOHO Whisky neat or with water?
You can drink it neat, but we found that a little water made BOHO considerably more interesting. The fruit became easier to pick out, particularly the pear and sweeter summer-fruit notes, while vanilla and the floral character came forward. If you're trying BOHO for the first time, keeping some water nearby is a good idea.
How strong is BOHO Whisky?
BOHO Whisky is bottled at 42.8% ABV. That's slightly above the 40% ABV mark common across many mainstream whisky bottles and gives it a little more alcohol weight without making the whisky feel aggressively strong in the glass.
When was BOHO Whisky launched?
BOHO was launched by ADS Spirits in 2024. The brand was introduced as a more contemporary take on Indian blended whisky, with its distinctive bohemian-inspired identity and “Blend Out” positioning. BOHO was already being showcased as a recently launched whisky at industry events in late 2024.