Amrut Cask Strength bottled 2007

In November I opened this bottle of Amrut CS. Not just any CS, but one of the 2007 Special Edition bottles produced before it became a standard offering with batch numbers. After tasting this in a miniature years ago, I picked up as many full size bottles as I could find around Calgary (4 in total). I was sure I had reviewed it.

On March 24 I finally got a chance to sit down to do some reviews. I decided to catch up on my Amruts. To my shock I discovered I had not reviewed this. I resolved to correct that straight away. Also in the line-up were 2 single cask expressions, one a sherry cask LCBO exclusive and the other a peated port-matured bottling that was available in Calgary. Those reviews will follow.

I had thought this was the original batch of cask strength, until @maltactivist reviewed an even earlier bottling.

This bottle was just over half full, and gassed after each use (open 4 months and 2 weeks). This expression was allowed it to settle into a Highland Whisky Glass after which I took my nosing and tasting notes, followed by the addition of a few drops of water, waiting, then nosing and tasting. I did the nosing of all three expressions before the tasting of all three, and then the impressions with water.

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Nose: 23.0/25

Sweet, slightly spirity. Rich (could that be what others call malty?). Tropical fruit. Green apples. Johnson’s baby powder. Hint of vanilla. Ashok manoeuvre (warming by hand, covered) brings out warm cinnamon, baked apple, a hint of sweet pineapple. Gorgeous nose. Water brings out the tropical notes more, once again enhanced by warming. (23.5/25)

Taste: 21.5/25

Initially hot, with a sour (tropical) development. The second sip brings out vanilla and cinnamon, with apple in the background and some pepper. Water makes this extremely rich, spicy, and fruity, though still a little spirity. (22/25)

Finish: 22/25

Medium long, slightly oaky and peppery. Astringent. No change with water.

Balance: 22.5/25

The nose promises way more than the palate could ever deliver. In all though, very balanced and flavourful unpeated malt.

Score: Neat - 89/100 With Water: 90 /100

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After finishing all three sets of tasting notes I put what was left of the three pours (roughly 10 cc each) into one glass, and let it marry for a few minutes (including some time using the “modified” Ashok method (warmth by computer fan). It’s an interesting mixture. It seems to get the best from each expression. More complexity on the nose, more wine and a little less peat on the palate, with a rich backbone that I think comes from the CS. This one would definitely score in the high 80s.

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Just as I remembered from the miniature I had tried (and thought I had reviewed), this one is just a little more refined than the later versions I’ve tried (I’ve opened 2 later batches). I’m glad I have a few tucked away.

Expressions like this one are what keep Amrut high in my esteem.

This review is of a 50 ml mini bottle of the unpeated Amrut Cask Strength, bottled in September 2007. I give my thanks to @Nozinan for the reviewed bottle

Nose: very strong barley grain flavours, more cereal in style than grassy; there is some muted pear and citrus in the mix. For a whisky which is aged a relatively "few" years, 5 ?, 6 ?, you can tell that there is something a bit different here,...the use of some new oak for aging. This is pretty simple, but I love the intensity. The barley grain commands the flavours here

Taste: great barley intensity; stays simple. The barley flavours in this one are mostly middle and low-pitched. This is not the tastiest barley, but it is good quality barley. If you like flavour, you will like probably like this. This gains sourness mid-palate

Finish: moves very slowly more sour into the finish, but stays pretty close to the palate for a long time

Balance: love, love, love! the intensity. This is all about barley. This is good but not the very best-tasting barley. Even though some new wood aging is done here, the wood flavours are mostly in the background. As a Big Flavours Guy, I can always get into a whisky like (unpeated) Amrut Cask Strength. I will choose other Amruts for my bottle purchases, however

Water added: 1) raised the pitch, sweetened, and lessened, the nose flavours, 2) fused the palate flavours, and 3) fused the flavours on the finish. I prefer this without water

Strength: HUGE flavours. Score 25/25 pts

Quality: OK barley, OK wood, nothing special. Score 21/25 pts

Variety: not a lot. Score: 20/25 pts

Harmony: good, could be better. Score: 20/25

Total non-sequential score: 86/100 points

I haven’t tried all of the Amruts yet, but I should make it a life mission to do so. The Intermediate Sherry and the Two Continents are both on my dream team wishlist, but they’re both in the $150+ range. However the CS release isn’t and it doesn’t disappoint. This one is at 61.9% and was bottled in 2007.

Nose: Lovely orange tang, like Orangina. Marmalade on toast. Drying, musty oak. Another reviewer said sawdust; very perceptive. Melons, pineapples, peaches, and big juicy dates drizzled in honey. A very refreshing fruity quality to this to counter the granular woody notes. After a couple of minutes in the glass, the rough edges from the high abv. disappear, and the nose becomes smooth and luscious.

Palate: Salt, marmalade, gentle vanilla, cereal, roasted almonds, leather, nutmeg, light caramel and peaches; all of which cooperate beautifully with that familiar sawdust note. The arrival is gradual with a well-timed buildup, slowly moving us towards a crescendo of fruits and spices (more nutmeg and white pepper).

Finish: Guess what? More sawdust. The faintest of wisp of smoke seems to be just out of reach. Leather. Some juicy peaches reappear. More gentle vanilla. Almonds. Nutmeg. Orange rind and Orangina. A touch of tea. Wow… Long and gorgeous.

CS is almost always the way to go, and Amrut’s no exception. I’ve tried the standard fare and the Fusion. I liked them, but this one outshines both. What I like is that it isn’t just the standard single malt on steroids; there’s more to it than that. The sawdust note is unique and lovely, and it counterbalances the rich, fruity sweetness. I’ve yet to meet an Amrut I didn’t like. It’s a shame that the more premium offerings are so expensive in Taiwan. However, this stuff is both affordable shockingly good. Highly recommended.