Amrut Fusion

I loved Amrut Sherry, and so I decided to pick this one up as well, having heard so much good stuff said about it. Well, I think I'm in love...

NOSE: a hint of smoked paprika and peat, very much not like any Scotch whisky I've tried. You can tell right off the bat that this one is definitely not Scotch. Big sugary nose with a lot of preserved fruit, brown sugar, moist vanilla cake, buttery pastry, cardamom, aromatic oak. Water brings forward more tropical fruits, pineapples,Sauvignon Blanc type aromas, lemon, orange. 23/25

TASTE: honey with some sour notes, vanilla sponge cake with nice oak in the background. It's like taking a bite of some delicious cupcake with honey poured all over it. Some spice here as well. With water, more mineral, lemon, pineapple, more black Ceylon tea notes as well. Pistachios. 23/25

FINISH: warm, preserved white fruit, warming, a hint of peat, black tea. 23/25

BALANCE: 24/25

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I find that just like in music, and other forms of art, when something is SOOO well-done, you don't really have words to describe it. You just sit there and take it all in. This is exactly the way I feel about this whisky.

The reviewed sample is from a 50 ml mini bottle, given to me by @Nock. This is at least the fourth bottle of Amrut Fusion from which I have tasted, beginning in 2011, but it is the first review of Amrut Fusion which I have written

Nose: strong intensity malt and wine flavours. The malt is deep and shows both medium and low-pitched cereal flavours and a little grassiness. The wine flavours combine nicely with the malt. You notice sweet first, but get a good dry balance as well

Taste: the translation to the mouth is quite good, and with a real vibrancy. This is a very malty whisky, with some very lively wine flavours

Finish: rather long finish...and the wine flavours evolve very nicely and with a great deal of complexity. This is an elegant finish, which is not a comment I make about many whiskies

Balance: there is a good balance throughout the time-sequential tasting experience

Previous bottles of Fusion I've tasted rated from me: 1) 72 (@dbk's 2011 bad batch bottle), 2) 95 (an otherworldly peak experience of evolving flavours), and 3) 85 (much better than the first experience, but not in the league of the second experience)

Casting @dbk's bottle aside as an outlier, this little mini represents to me as very-close-to-the-mean of my other experiences of Amrut Fusion

If I were to buy a standard bottle of Amrut Fusion now, I would guess that it would taste very much like this little mini does. Amrut Fusion is a nice whisky, but I prefer all of the various Cask Strength expressions which Amrut makes to this 50% ABV expression. Thanks again, @Nock!

Strength: good strong flavours throughout. Score: 23/25 points

Quality: all of the flavours are very good in quality. Score: 22/25 points

Variety: the subtly evolving wine flavours are a work of high art and great beauty. Score: 23/25 points

Harmony: there is a good cooperation and balance of the various malt and wine flavours. Score: 22/25 points

Total non-sequential score: 90/100 points

Pale gold in colour and nicely packaged up in a metal tube, gives a feeling of quality that cardboard can’t. Rich aromas on opening the bottle just get better when poured and savoured, lightly smoky with plump sultanas, apricot jam, vanilla and a biscuit like malty smell.

This whisky has a thick creamy mouth coating body to it, a sweet profile containing the favours of oaty hobnob biscuits, apricots, almonds, vanilla and cinnamon. Quite exotic, but in no way unusual for a malt whisky.

The high alcohol content and full body ensures the finish is satisfyingly long with plenty of drying flavour development of the fruit, nuts and malt evident on the palate. The balance present in this whisky is superb, it might not stand out anywhere in particular, but the whole experience is one of stylish quality.

Those of you who know me know that I'm a hopeless romantic when it comes to anything Amrut. I heard about this distillery from Bangalore from an Indian friend of mine and was then pleasantly surprised to hear that a certain Mr Murray had rated it as his Top 3 for the year.

Intrigued I set about trying to snag a bottle but given the distillery's ridiculously tiny output and (at that time) limited distribution it was proving to be an extremely tough assignment.

Anyway, after much perseverance (twelve calls to the distillery and a friend traveling from India) I somehow finally managed two. Luckily for me it was totally worth the favor I had to reluctantly pull.

At 46% they were intended for the local Indian market which gave me a hankering for the 50% export expression. By that time my local distributor had some in stock so it was much easier scoring a third bottle.

Amrut Fusion is a blend of peated Scottish barley and un-peated Himalayan barley. Distilled separately using water from Punjab both spirits are left to mature independently for three to five years in ex-Bourbon barrels and then married together to create what is, arguably, my favorite thing to come out of India.

This sample is from Batch No 10 bottled in May 2011 and opened over two years ago. The oxidization seems to have made this even better than I remember.

Nose: Strong barley. Honey. Peat. Salt. Coffee. Chocolate. Mocha. Perfectly ripe bananas. Crisp pears. All spice. Hint of husk and breakfast cereal. Funnily enough it has a sherry quality to it even though there is none involved. A warm captivating nose.

Palate: Creamy mouthfeel. Peppers. Orange marmalade. Honey. Raisins. Figs. Almonds. Cream puff. Chocolate. And that oak. It's the perfectly crafted oak that makes this delivery quite sensational.

Finish: Oily. Long. Spices. And that magnificent oak.

This is the dram that put a traditional rum making distillery on to the whisky map. The expressions that followed were genius but they were dared on the back of this savant.

I was hard on a bottle of Amrut Fusion that I bought last month before Christmas. It's better now and I'm the first to admit that. Air has helped.

Nose: a bit weak still, but not bad. rum raisins, brown sugar, molasses, smiling goodness but not a warm hug.

Palate: similar to the nose with more staccato. A pleasant oiliness that rolls equally on the tongue with a bit more fore-tongue than some whiskies in this class.

Finish: short to medium. Nothing to write home about, but pleasant to be sure.

I still feel the Fusion is overpriced in Oregon for what you get. Oh well. It's a nice glass but for the money, I would have rather bought another Glenfarclas 105 and I would have if I'd tasted both side by side.

As you may recall in my last review, I was torn between getting a second 105 before they are all gone in Portland, or this Amrut. I prefer the cask strength Farc and I don't think the comparison is unfair. Both are sweet whiskies. I am curious about my bottle of Portonova now, but I probably won't open it for some time.

Picked up a bottle for the holidays. So far, I have not been blown away by it. I paid $85 American. Not worth it. Wish I'd picked up the Glenfarclas 105 instead for the holidays.

The two bottles were right next to each other in the liquor store. I made my choice based on connosr reviews. The Amrut was one point higher.

Uh uh. Nope. I've had both and the 105 is just better, IMHO. And, yes, they are in the same class of whisky, so it is fair to compare them, unlike comparing a peat with a sweet whisky.

Oh well. It's not a total loss. Some of my friends (the ones who don't know scotch all that well) love it.

I think the fusion is overrated. I have yet to open my bottle of Portonova. I very much hope it does not fall below my expectations as the Fusion most certainly has.

I bought this whisky almost a year ago, and poured it for my office around Christmas; I chose Amrut as we had just opened Deepa Mehta's film Midnight's Children, so it seemed appropriate. Surprisingly, while some in my office liked it, it didn't blow anyone away - anyone except for me, that is.

Amrut was founded in 1948 by Shri J. N. Radhakrishna, in Bangalore (3000 feet above sea level), who passed it on to his son in 1976. Until 2002, when it started stealthily making inroads into the UK, it wasn't really known in the West. Named after a mythological Hindu drinking vessel, Amrut uses barley grown in the foothills of the Himalayas, and the spirit is matured (with the exception of finishes) in both new and ex-bourbon casks. Their whiskies are non-chill-filtered. Amrut also makes other spirits such as brandy, rum, vodka, etc.

Fusion is exactly that: a meeting of East and West. Peated barley is brought in from Scotland and distilled, then combined with distillate from non-peated barley grown in India. This one is from batch no. 17, bottled in January 2012.

A medium gold colour. On the nose, very spicy malt, almost rye-like. Cinnamon, cloves, raspberries and sea-salted dark chocolate. Fairly peaty as well, with lots of wood/spirit interaction. Grassy, and extremely herbal, with mint and sage. Lapsang souchon. Enormous. Surprisingly, water just dulls things...

On the palate, some heat and spice: cayenne pepper, chili powder and sea salt. More caramel and vanilla here, with rich toffee notes. Some bitter cardamom and black tea. In perfect harmony with the nose, the peat helps pack a punch with the spices but it is never overwhelming. Water helps tame the spice - but this malt really doesn't need it.

On the finish, salt-and-pepper rides some waves of oak and bitter dark chocolate. This is an absolutely extraordinary whisky: bitter, spicy, sweet, delicious. One of the most complex, yet harmonious whiskies I've ever tasted. Previous batches have racked up huge accolades: a Jim Murray score of 97 (and Third Best Whisky In The World), World Whisky of the Year from Malt Advocate, and Best Natural Cask, Daily Drams Award from the Malt Maniacs. All very well deserved.

Amrut were the first Indian Whisky producer to break into the UK market. Fusion is a great component from their line up.

Nose. Citrus, cereal and spice.

Palate. Fruity, oak, spice, sweet molasses. It's big but not overly complex. There is the influence of bourbon cask. It's good for a young Whisky.

The finish is medium long, sweet and spicy.

My first taste of this was at a Binny’s in Chicago. At the time you could still get samples at most of the stores if you just asked for a taste (I think they have ceased this activity sadly). At the time I was not in the right state of mind and I remember being shocked, offended, and hating the sample. So I bought some Ardbegs and Laphroaigs instead. A year later I was in a shop in Tennessee that happened to have miniatures at a very reasonable price so I picked up three 50mL bottles of this stuff. All three are from the same batch. I have tried them against different whiskies at three different times. The first time I scored it an 86. The second time I scored it 89. The last time I scored it a 91.5. I really don’t believe that my 3 sample bottles were different in any way (like one was off or something). Rather, I believe that my mood that evening and the other 2 or 3 whiskies I was drinking with the sample affected my rating. Here are the notes from the 91.5 score as I believe this is my most mature opinion on this particular batch – but that could always change!

Nose: Cinnamon and anise seed straight away (juniper?). Cardamom, ginger, curry, and other spices you associate with India (or my impressionable imagination). Spices on the fore; dark fruit on the back; with a very low gear level of peat underneath it all. Very enjoyable: plumbs, dates, raisins, and figs and then crazy spicy nose. With times notes of grass, hay, and apple cider. This is obviously like no scotch I have ever had!

Taste: Sweet spices and mango. Fruity and spicy. There is a hint of peat smoke and saw dust in the background. Water doesn’t help

Finish: Big salt intake of breath with a medium wave of peat, sea salt and tawny port. Very fruity with a strong peat fire tinge to it all. Tons of spices: cinnamon, cumin, coriander, anise seed, nutmeg, figs, dates, and prunes. Now berries, figs, and other baked fruits. Medium finish but very interesting. Very subtle but with a bit of a muscular malt thing. Lovely Water only calms it down – but still spicy!

Complexity, Balance: Very, very complex. The balance is great also. Full points for complexity. I can really tell that this is an Indian malt from all the spices and dark fruit. It is well balanced from nose to finish. The balance of the fruit, spice, and peat is superb.

Color, Body, Aesthetic experience: Light hay: white wine. Medium-full body. I like this bottle a lot. I know it is quite young and so I am sad at the price. However, I like the style of the bottle, the name, the font, and the ABV. I love that they are putting batch numbers and dates on the bottles (even the miniatures)! It states proudly through design and color that it is Indian whisky while at the same time standing firmly in the Scottish tradition of single malt. They are not trying to reinvent the wheel.

Conclusion: I actually really like this bottle. I will buy a full bottle for certain now . . . next time I can find it for a reasonable price ($50-60). It will be a great whisky for that price! I am sure I won’t find the same batch again, but now I am more then willing to try.

A bit late hitching onto the Amrut bandwagon, but thought I'd give this expression a try while it was still available at the LCBO. This whisky definitely develops over time (for the better, in my opinion), and this review takes place about 7 months after opening.

Nose: pancakes in browned butter (yup), very subtle peat smoke, and not-so-subtle spice (clove, cinnamon, cardamom).

Palate: buttery and soft, with soft peat and smoke and a hint of mild honey for sweetness. The spice builds rapidly and is quite pronounced, penetrating the butteriness.

Finish: loooooooong......and wonderful. Lots of spice again, buffered with a nice maltiness.

Initially, the whisky had more dry peat qualities and sharper spice. These qualities mellowed considerably over the 7-month period of tasting, improving the whisky greatly. Not a 'world whisky of the year' for me, but definitely pleasant.

This is my second foray into Amrut. The standard single malt was pleasant, albeit a bit forgettable. I don’t intent on restocking that one. But expectations are higher for the Fusion. I’ve been excited about this one for a while…

Nose: Some mild peat. There are some serious fruity notes here. Some berries and some tropical notes appear. But also there’s something more exotic about this fruitiness. Strawberries. Caramelized strawberries. And peach. Not the fruit. Peach candy. Like those chewy little gummy candies. Very sweet, very fruity, dancing nicely around the hints of peat and spice. Rich, unique, and inviting.

Palate: Medium body. Smooth arrival with a slightly oily texture. More peat than the nose suggested. Apples and banana dance in the background. A fair amount of salt in here.

Finish: Gentle peat ushers us into the finish and stays. I taste pears and peach. Some bitter coffee notes pop up as well. Just a hint of pepper. Sweet throughout. Those fruity strawberry notes do begin to come back. They don’t dominate, but they do linger in the distance.

This is definitely different. It’s remarkably enjoyable. The nose is an absolute treat. Unfortunately the unique fruity/candied scents don’t truly come to fruition on the palate. They return towards the finish, but I’d like to taste more of them. The palate is a straight forward, gently peated, smooth, and well crafted. But, while the palate is lovely, it’s not quite on par with what the nose promised. Still, this is something that I’ll likely restock after I’m done. This is one of those bottles that are fun to show off. It’s got an exotic flavour profile and it’s produced in an exotic country. And it’s genuinely good stuff.

Batch 07, Sept 2010. Found a few bottles in a local store for 60.00. I wanted to try something new, and considering some decent to great reviews, thought I would give this one a shot. I did not realize that this was a batch driven whisky (Like the A'bunadh). Based on the reviews here, this is a whisky with serious batch to batch variation.

No water. Unless I say so, all of my reviews are sans water. Very cereal in the smell. Sweet cereal. Oranges. Oatmeal and peaches. Peaches and cream. Much more cereal than fruit however. Very sweet aroma. Good swish on my first sip. Drying, hot on the tongue and the back of my throat. Alcohol heat, not pepper heat. A quick swallow delivers a better taste. Less heat.

This tastes pretty good. But not really good. I am going to enjoy this bottle, but will most likely not pick up another. Sadly, it also does not make me curious to try more Amrut whiskies. Don't get me wrong. This is not bad. I am not scoring this bad. But when we are playing in an arena of 50-100 dollar bottles, you need to distinguish yourself more than this if you expect me to continue exploring your line.

Title comes from Columbia in Rocky Horror Picture Show. And my reply is Frank N Furter's: "OK? I think we can do better than that."

I was searching for some of my notes for a Glen Grant and discovered that, in fact, not only had I never typed them up, I never typed up any notes from a tasting session back in October. Memory fades, but tasting notes are... slightly less ephemeral.

Nose: Lots of malt and cereal at first blush. Very fruity and heavy on the tropical. Pineapple and lemon zest for that touch of bitterness. This reminds me of a classic Clynelish profile, only less smoky and waxy. There's something of corn-stalks and buttered biscuits. It's interesting, to say the least.

Palate: Silky and supple texture. Honey, beeswax, light dates for the slightly darker note, and more lemon. And pineapple. It takes a malty and peppery turn on the tongue at the end.

Finish: There's a slight smokiness, but it's extremely mellow. The same fruits, though new flavors emerge: cardamom, oak (or oaky cardboard), all-spice, and thinned honey. Light and pleasantly inoffensive. It doesn't quite go on or have a full finish, but it's nice.

Amrut distillery was founded in 1948 but it was not until the 1980ies that the company began to produce malt whisky. While the barley is grown in the foothills of the Himalaya the whisky is matured in Bangalore. Due to the tropical climatic conditions the whisky matures very quickly: three to five years in Bangalore are apparently considered to be the equivalent of ten years in Speyside. Amrut Fusion was launched in 2009 and derives its name from the fact that 25% peated Scottish malt and 75% unpeated Indian malt are first mashed and distilled separately and later married in Bourbon casks.

The nose is quite malty and fruity with lots of oranges. I also got vanilla and hints of chocolate, followed by a whiff of smoke. With water the nose becomes more rounded, and there are even more vanilla and chocolate – lovely!

The palate is rich and spicy. I again detected chocolate, followed by pineapple and apricots.

The finish is medium-long, fruity and again quite spicy.

While I liked the nose both the palate and the finish did not overwhelm me. True, this is a nice and well balanced single malt but I do not consider this to be a world-class whisky.

First I got to say that I have special relationship with Indian culture; it fills up a part of my youth. Amrut being from India, based in Bangalore, when it landed on the shelves, I was eager to get my hand on a bottle. I was in part lucky because it sold out in about a week-end and for 60 CAD$, it’s a good deal around here.

The bottle I am reviewing is batch No. 13 bottled in June 2011. It’s nice of Amrut not to be shy and to let us know clearly what batch it is, big thanks. This bottle as been open for about three months now and the whisky as evolved but not in a drastic way.

Nose: On the nose the first thing I get is sweet milk chocolate, something not present in the first weeks after opening. It’s also fruity, something like grape. There is also a faint hit of smoke.

Palate: Here follows the milk chocolate, it’s actually the first time I’ve had chocolate "in" a whisky. Again some fruits, grape and now starfruit, a fair amount of peat, some spice and some bitter oak.

Finish: Long, fruity with the starfruit following up to the end, drying. There is also this impression that I can only describe as the feeling/flavour of a dusty road, from the arrival all the way to the finish witch I, personally, find pleasant.

It is a bit fiery and tends to numb the mouth, but the nose and the palate are bright and vivid. Could it be that the spirit is a bit young? Maturing in a hot country would have me guess that the cask influence gets to the spirit quicker, not giving it enough time to mellow out. For me this whisky as a good balance, there is also a little bit of everything in here witch make it interesting.

All in all it left me with a good impression and I would add that it has a exotic feel to it, setting you to go out and explore...

So my wife and I have been trying to get to the whisky bar Helvetica for months now. We have finally arrived and this is the first sort of date night that my wife and I have done in a good long time.

We've tried the Glenfarclas 12 yr old at dinner, and have tried the Yamazaki 12 yr old, the Hakushu 12 yr old, and the Glenmorangie Nectar D'or. I've just got a fresh drink of Amrut Fusion for our next one. We've been waiting for my sister and brother in law to show up, we've been waiting for almost an hour. We've now received a text message stating that they're waiting upstairs for us for whenever we arrive.

We head upstairs and lo and behold there is my brother and sister in law!

We join them and we share a moment of silence for our friend who could not join us tonight due to a last minute emergency surgery due to appendicitis.

My wife and I are drinking Amrut Fusion and my in laws are drinking Sazerac Rye.

"To missing friends!"

I let my wife take the Fusion, without knowing what it is. I always let her have the first drink and I never tell her what we're drinking. Keeps it interesting that way.

Nose: some peat, malt, some fruit notes that we are not able to put our fingers on, but definitely citrusy, maybe lemon or lime? and quite a bit of spices, mainly pepper.

Taste: My wife once again takes the lead and tries a sip of the Amrut and promptly declares that in no matter, shape, or form does she care for it.

WHOA!!!

My turn!

Taste: Peat, smoke, a hint of the fruit that we detected on the nose, and quite a bit of spices, mainly pepper, but something that I can't put my finger on.

It's not bad, but definitely not something that I think I'll buy a bottle of for my cabinet.

Finish was long and peppery for me with the oak dominating and a hint of smoke following the oak.

This is a different whisky from what I'm used to and as you can tell my wife loved it (hahaha). It's not a bad whisky, but for myself I'd have to be in a special mood to want to drink it.

Amrut Fusion runs at around $100 AUS when I have seen it. At a hundred dollars I can think of quite a few other whiskies that I'd rather purchase instead of the Amrut. If you like some complex characters and a lot of spice this might be the bottle for you!!

Next up the Glenmorangie Astar! This is one I've been wanting to try!

We are once again treated to the genius that is Amrut.

Beautiful nose full of sexy oak, sugary barley and tropical fruits. The super chewy palate gives you something to think about as you wonder how something can taste this good! There is a very strong yet balanced oak influenced feel to this dram. As the oak and juicy sweet barley wrestle with each other good naturedly on your palate you feel the presence of dry nuts applauding by the ring side. The finish is gloriously long and ends with a choir of spices.

Your first thought as the malt cascades down your gullet is 'Oh, dear God. Please dont let this stop.'

Here my second Amrut miniature to try out. The first what I already tried the Amrut Peated Single Malt Whisky is a success! I surely will buy a bottle from that someday but first what I will buy is the new creation of Art: the Artein of the great Glenmorangie.

Here my review of Amrut Fusion: Nose: Fresh, spicy and fruity with elements of peach and mango. But also some spicy notes as chillies and pepper.

Taste: Very nice! Smooth, delicate, hints of spices and a good sweet alcoholic aftertaste. Warm and also tender. Bit peaty on the background. The fruity parts are in a far distance but comes in the aftertaste a bit more open.

Finish: Long, peaty with some smoke and a bit of sweet aftertaste.

Surely recommend, a true Indian Perfection! Will buy a Armut Fusion bottle someday as well.

Nose: Sweet Caramel. Strong citrus and light on spice. Hint of smoke to it

Taste: Light Peat. Fruity, chocolate, and a bit of coffee.

Finish: Long sweet finish

Amrut Fusion is a single malt whisky derived from both Scottish and Indian barley crops. At the distillery, the Scottish barley malt is peated, distilled, and matured separately from the unpeated Indian malt, and the two are then blended together for a second maturation in ex-bourbon casks. This expression has helped put India on the map as a nation that does not just consume good whisky, but produces it, too.

The nose is definitively malty, with characteristic touches of milk chocolate, vanilla, and biscuits. There are also notes of menthol, cherries, limes, and vinegar, as the peat gently wafts through.

The palate begins with light smoke, honey, and malt. It is phenolic, with hints of tar. Eventually, however, it becomes slightly astringent and hot, masking these flavours. Pineapple arrives on the finish.

This is a unique, and certainly good, whisky. Nonetheless, I keep a dissenting opinion against the throngs of near-perfect praise for it. The mid-palate burst of heat quickly erases all memory of the flavours that preceded it, and that is a shame, because I enjoyed them throughly. In the end, it is a fine whisky that has the potential to be a great one.

Since Amrut is from India you might expect to find some exotic flavours and aromas. In truth it does indeed offer a unique, almost exotic profile, as I will attempt to describe for you.

Nose

At full strength, it is soft, sweet, and floral. There is a crisp sugary element. Fairly light, and inviting. Sweet bakery aromas. Ginger snap cookies! In time, more intense ginger.

Taste

Matches the nose at first with sweet, floral, gingery notes. A very full-flavoured entry indeed. After a few seconds some dry peat smoke announces itself. Becomes a little bitter with a grainy bite. The mouthfeel is a little thin, almost like a high-quality blend, but the flavour development is something special. With water, the ginger flavour is more pronounced.

Finish

The peat smoke lingers but manages to not dominate the medium finish. Rather the sweet elements from the beginning return, the gingerbread and sugar.

Balance

Great balance between sweet, smoky, and bitter/sour. At times it comes across as more of a blend than a single malt, probably from the Indian and Scottish barleys clashing, but that is after all the very point of the whisky.

The name 'Fusion' refers to the use of two kinds of barley. Apart from the locally grown unpeated Indian malt (75%), peated Scottish malt (25%) was also part of the mash bill. Hence the predicate 'East meets West' on the back label. I had read quite a few raving reviews about this Amrut and Jim Murray even gave it a whopping 97 points in his famous bible! I brace myself.

The nose differs quite a bit from the regular peated version. I get a lot of aromas that I would associated with a forrest: humus, grass, moss and fallen leaves. Tea. But where is the peat? I get some exotic fruits and vanilla, but in all honesty, I find the nose rather weak and closed.

The attack is feisty with pepper, followed by exotic fruits such as pineapple, apricot and papaya, with a touch of lime in the background. The spices fade.

The finish is long on pepper and oak.

The nose is a bit of a let down, I must say. I had expected more. Perhaps batch 5 wasn't up to standards? Who knows? But this one sure doesn't come near Jim's score (although that was indeed a different batch). Pity.

Amrut Fusion, the whisky that everybody talked about last year and the year before. An Indian malt, which is the result of the fusion of Scottish and Indian barley. I finally was able to get a hand on this malt as the Ontario liquor store just put it on their shelves at a fairly good price.

Nose: Very special and very pleasant, it is peated, yes, but not what I am used to smell. There is barley, but barley that has been cooked in sugar, almost like a cake. Notes of fruits also.

Mouth: very good, It doesn't feel as high ABV although it is bottled at 100 proof. The peat is more timid on the mouth that it was on the nose. The sugary barley is still there with citrus notes and some smoky flavors.

Final: long and ending with a bitterness aftertaste that reminds you that you are drinking something unique. It is unique and very very good. This dram forces you to leave the comfort of the more standard malt reviews. The fusion of good and nice has created something better!!

It was on the Christmas tree last december and a big suprise.

Nose, Taste, Finish and Balance are graded out of 2.5 each:

Nose: A changing-room of a nose, with the smell of fresh mud and spray-on deodorant. A more rustic interpretation would be that of smoking compost and wet hay. In either environment we are accompanied by a peculiar but surprisingly delicious snack of barbecue-charred lemons. 2.0

Taste: There is a sweeter approach to the palate, having come in from the changing rooms or from the compost heap in the wet field outside, we are soothed with the warm taste of sweetened aubergines and aniseed cake. Very soft and mellow. 2.0

Finish: Break-time is now over. To snap us back into action we have a Fisherman's Friend lozenge, a very intense minty and herbal explosion, one from which the dust settles quite quickly. The lingering sweet mineral aftertaste is if we were sucking on a toffeed stone that had been thrown out from the blast. 2.0

Balance: A very different whisky, one which quite effortlessly moves between peaty smoke and chemical sweetness, without ever going too far to either extreme. Complex yet balanced, assured yet withdrawn. All of which is highly accomplished at a higher octane 50% abv. This blending of Scottish and Indian barley has attained a very successful 'fusion' of flavour, and like much fusion cuisine, keeps you entertained throughout. 2.0

Nose: Oak, Big Big Vanilla notes, and spice. Also some sweet notes of barley. caramelized biscuits and rather gentle peat which adds a new twist to it all. Some fruity notes as well, I’d say over-ripe oranges, leather. In addition some very unique notes of Turkish delight.

Palate: Creamy, Big bodied. Great impact thanks to the nice 50% ABV. Again, biscuit notes, sweet barely, burnt sugar; the peat is more evident on the palate as it is on the nose. I do think the entire mix is very nice and benefits from the peat which adds another dimension to it.

Finish : medium length finish very good combination of peat, oak spice and barley. Good stuff .

Summing it up:

The Indian really nailed this one. Solid nose, great palate and finish . This marriage of east and west barley is a success.

Is it a good single malt? – yes, yes and yes! It’s very good.

Is it that good as to be called #3 best whisky out there? – I think not.

I’m very impressed with this one. I had high expectations, and it delivered everything I expected. Don’t get ready to be blown away, since you might not , but I am sure most malt lovers out there would respect and like that combination of peat, vanilla fruit and malt married together so well.

Should you get a bottle of this in your bar? I think you should. The price is right (~$60 US), and it’s really worth it. No less, no more. India, you did great!

One last thing : The packaging is hideous. who is the graphic designer responsible for this crime? Amrut, the 80's are over. get a new design shop already.

This is my first review, guided along by Serge Valentine's Whisky Tasting PDF "cheat sheet".

Let me start by the conclusion; I like this Single Malt. I feel it important to start with the conclusion, because some of the adjectives I will be using below could be construed as both negative of positive traits. Mostly, I mean then in the positive sense.

The first nosing is almost agressive. Definite smell of alcohol, followed by yeast, and some raisins and dried fruits, far behind. Later, with a few drops of water you get some burnt cake and buttery notes. But overall the nose is mainly alcohol; akin to the smell of Grappa (I do like Grappa).

Palate: definitely not oily. The term "drying" seems to fit well, follwed by bitter in a positive sense. This is not a sweet malt. The dried fruits of the nosing give way to a zestier palate. The burnt cake of nosing is still there, joined by some pepper. Paradoxically, I have the following attributes noted: simple, thin, yet robust, rich and clean. As far as balance goes, I cannot say (probably means it is not).

Finish: Quite short. The only aftertaste that remains is a bitter (in a positive sense) aftertaste in the back of the mouth. Interestingly, despite the high alcohol content in percent and taste, no amount of sloshing around my mouth will get my top gums numb. It's all happening in the back of the mouth.

Adding water (5-6 drops of water into 4cl of malt) simplifies the palate drastically, leaving yeasty malt as the dominant taste, while substantially lengthening the finish.

Overall, as mentioned earlier, I really like this single malt. It is far from perfect, but its few failings are not due to bland conformism, they come from a "this is who we are" approach that elicits respect.

Nose: very all-round with clean barley, fruity notes (blood oranges), brown sugar, vanilla and very gentle peat. It has a biscuity quality and the peat gives it an extra dimension.

Mouth: mostly oranges and vanilla at first. Reminds me of turkish delights and some kinds of bubblegum. Good oakiness. Some mocha. The peat is on a second level but it complements the profile quite well and grows stronger over time.

Finish: long, rich, orangey. Very good balance between sweet, spicy and peaty.