MUMBAI, Sept. 4 -- Old Monk, one of India's best-known liquor brands, is facing a regulatory challenge over whether certain variants can continue to be marketed and sold as rum.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has told the Bombay High Court that Old Monk cannot be labelled as rum because the product is made using neutral spirit along with rum flavouring. According to the food safety regulator, the product would be more appropriately described as a "rum-flavoured spirit".

The issue came up before a division bench comprising acting chief justice Ravindra V. Ghuge and justice Gautam A. Ankhad after the manufacturer submitted revised labels for the affected products. FSSAI has sought additional time to examine the m...