The Amrut Distillery in Bangalore India has been making waves in the whisky world and many have been surprised when they’ve tasted Amrut for the very first time, it’s actually very good. Amrut does not chill filter and as the back label states “it comes straight from the barrel.” A good start. The nose a combination of sweetness (vanilla, fruit and honey) and pleasant wood notes (oak, wood shavings and light furniture polish). So far so good. A slight funkiness in the background however nothing powerful enough to cause distress. It has a nose quite similar to many Speyside distilleries; similar to an older Glenfarclas actually. A bit of surprise. After a few minutes the sweetness powers through and is quite strong and very nice.  The taste is quite strong with light tobacco, leather, floral, oak and a mild, mild bitterness in the later stages. So far it tastes like whisky and thus it’s a success! Bourbon notes? This whisky tastes much, much older than its age (which around 4 years) and has many qualities of older whiskies. The maturation process in India, due to the higher temperatures dramatically accelerates maturation so it tastes older than it actually is. The finish has many of the qualities described above along with something a little different; note quite Scottish and quite possibly a little Canadian Rye Whisky. Spiciness and malt intermingled with oak and cocoa.

A very worthy whisky by any measure………… currently available in Alberta; around C$70

Score 88 Points

Visit www.amrutdistilleries.com or www.amrutwhisky.co.uk