Amrut Intermediate Sherry Matured

This is a sherry sandwich. According to what I've read they mature the whisky in fresh or bourbon casks (depends what you read), then in sherry casks, then back in bourbon casks before bottling.

One of the things about this whisky is that apparently they shipped their casks to Spain and fill the freshly emptied sherry casks, which they ship to India. this means there is no risk of sulfur contamination of the sherry casks.

I haven't had this in a long time and the last time I tried what I decanted into a smaller bottle it wasn't as great as when freshly opened. What I've noticed with the unpeated Amruts I've had is that they are best consumed in the first 6-12 months after opening. which is good if you like drinking it a lot, not so good if it's expensive to replace...

Amrut is one of my favourite distilleries and I encourage you to try as many expressions if you can. If you're ever in Toronto, we can have a great Amrut tasting.

@Nozinan, Shipping their cask to Spain and back to avoid the sulfur contamination issues is a great idea. This could be a game changer. If it's working for Amrut, I can see others following along. If transferring to freshly emptied Sherry casks is the key to their amazing success , they all better start doing the same.

I'll add some gas to my bottle, hopefully it will preserve its integrity. If I ever make it to Toronto I'll definitely take you up on the Amrut tasting, thank you for the invitation. If you ever make it south I'll put together something for you.

I look forward to the day we sit down together and dram.

Don't hold your breath for the Scotch industry to follow Amrut's lead. It can't be called Scotch if it leaves Scotland. Pity.

@Benancio, thanks for your lovingly executed review.

About the whisky, I couldn't agree more: all sherried malt should be this good. I've had and reviewed bottles of batch # 5 and batch # 2. I found batch # 5 to be more lush, and my preference, though both were excellent. @Nock preferred the batch # 2 which I would describe as very focused and intense in its sherry flavours but not as broad and lush. He also liked the batch # 5.

I too am already thinking about where my next bottle(s) of Amrut Intermediate Sherry will come from. You'll like Portonova too, and probably everything cask strength which Amrut makes.

@Victor , thx for the kind sentiments

What's lovingly are the steps and attention to quality Amrut is going to create the highest quality spirits.

I have the tail end of the Batch 5, which I also enjoyed very much. Another bottle put away for some time in the future. I have too many sherry bombs open right now to appreciate it fully.

@Benancio, have you noticed any difference depending on whether it's the first dram of a session or somewhere else in the order? I find this one shines best on a fresh palate.

Thanks for the great review. I am a big fan of the Intermediate Sherry - and I don't typically love heavily sherried whisky! But this is special. As @Victor mentioned I do "like" Batch #2 over Batch #5 . . . but only in the sense that I could only take one bottle home with me. That said, I would love to get my hands on another few bottles . . . and I don't care which batch it is. It sounds like I still have a chance at a few bottles of Batch #5 still floating around out there. I would gladly take three!

@Nock I have had three tasting of the Amrut Intermediate Sherry so far.

The first was with my son, it was a long awaited visit, we had already had a few scotches before we sampled AIS, we had a couple drams each, didn't try to analyze it, but were impressed and really enjoy it.

The other two tasting of AIS were heavy drams, it was the first whiskey tasted, followed up by A'Bunadh on one tasting and followed by Tomatin 12y on the other tasting. Neither of which are in the same ballpark.

I'll try priming my pallet with a good Balvine before I taste AIS again and see if that makes a difference.

@Nock do you have any suggestions?

@Benancio, Nice review - it is encouraging to see a big score for a big whisky.

@paddockjudge, that's the first 96 I've given. Those 5 points between 96 to 100 should be very hard to earn, I feel this one deserves it.

@Nozinan. It was the first scotch in my review. The next time I sample it I'll mix things up. At 57 ABV it possible it diminishes others after it. I wrote my review while sampling it, it's amazing, really enjoy it. I'll snap up a bottle given the chance.

@Benancio, if by "suggestions" you mean an order to drink it for best appreciation? That is difficult. I will typically taste it after three other sherried (and unpeated) whiskies. I typically go in order of ABV from lowest to highest. The other night I tasted it in this line up order: Glenburgie 10yo 43%, Glenmorangie Lasanta 46%, Bruichladdich Black Art 2.2 (1989; 21yo) 49.7%, AIS batch No.2 57.1%, and Aberlour A'Bunadh Batch 45 60.2%. Without question the AIS was the stand out of the group. I find that having several other "similar" whiskies in a tasting can help you dial in on specific nuances of a whisky.

That said, it can easily be fully enjoyed by itself on a warm summer evening at the beach over looking the ocean . . . which is what I am doing tonight!