The company commissioned India's first distillation plant at Cherthala in 1961 to produce extra neutral alcohol (ENA).

[15] It is sold in pint, nip, quart, and 750 ml bottles, at a cost 5% higher than McDowell's No.1 Whisky.

[16] Debashish Shyam, then General Manager (Marketing) of UB Group Spirits Division, stated that "Diet Mate is not a low-calorie whisky but has ingredients that increase metabolism.

[25] The brand achieved retail sales worth $3.8 billion in 2012-13, selling nearly half a billion 750 ml bottles of its whisky, rum and brandy, making the brand the largest alcoholic beverage franchise in India by volume and value.

The brand has associated itself with Bollywood films such as Devdas, Road, Kaante and Stumped, through its Mera No 1 Entertainment banner.

[34] On 21 August 2009, the brand announced a tie-up with Shillong Lajong F.C., the first team to qualify for the I-League 2009-2010 from North-East India.

[35] It signed Mahendra Singh Dhoni to a three-year endorsement deal, worth ₹26 crore (US$3.0 million), for McDowell's No 1 soda.

[12] The brand has sponsored several music concerts in India featuring artists such as Mark Knopfler,[4] Enrique Iglesias,[37][38] Elton John,[39] Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy,[40][41] Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Rajviani,[42] and Rabbi Shergill, Strings, Bombay Vikings, Shibani Kashyap, Abhijeet Sawant, Kailash Kher and Mika Singh.