They're not exactly the same thing, but are often used for similar purposes.
Actually, double cream has an even higher fat content, which could make it even harder to drink straight. But you'd probably want to mix it with something for flavor, or you can dilute it somewhat with some half and half.
In some ways I'm mildly jealous, since double cream seems to be a European thing. I'm not sure what folks use in India or East Asia, especially if you think about those heavy sauces that's characteristic of Indian food.
