Amrut Peated Cask Strength
Batch 12 - MAGIC!
0 2297
Review by @Nozinan
- Nose25
- Taste25
- Finish23
- Balance24
- Overall97
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Batch 12: January 2014 700 cc 62.8%
I have made no secret that I am a big fan of Amrut. This is not an original opinion. I got the idea to buy Fusion either from Ralfy or from a review in the Globe and Mail about 3 ½ years ago. Since that time I have tried 8 different expressions, and I have enjoyed all of them.
This one is either my favourite or next to it. My first taste of it was at Spirit of Toronto in May 2014. I had intended to buy it when it was released in Ontario, as it was my favourite of the 5 at the masterclass, but when was available I confused it with the single cask expressions and was waiting for the single cask Peated CS, which, of course, never arrived.
Thankfully I was able to locate a couple of bottles in Richmond Hill in December, the month in which this bottle was opened.
This malt is reviewed a little differently than my other reviews. At S.O.T. , Ashok, the brand ambassador asked us to warm the glass after initially nosing. The result was what several of us described as magical. Although it is harder to replicate this with a Glencairn than with a stemmed glass, I’ve done my best. So this is reviewed at room temperature, warmed by hand, then with about 3-4 drops of water to a 15 cc pour (left to sit for about 15 minutes).
Nose
Room temperature: Hint of smoke. Caramel. Tropical fruits. After warming: richer nose, gentle peat, stronger caramel, fruit more subdued With water: Pineapple hits you right away. Vanilla and caramel are still there, peat is in the background.
Taste:
Room temperature: Fruits, peat, hint of chocolate. Pineapple. Sour note. After warming: Explosion of flavour, sweet and sour, vanilla, caramel, some milk chocolate, sweet peat. With water: very fruity, a slight alcohol burn (but mild enough to be pleasant), peat is in the background. Warming it brings the peat back front and centre, and it feels like honey-syrup on the tongue, sweet (but not cloying) with the caramel and vanilla flavours accentuated. When warm the alcohol burn disappears.
Finish: Neat the finish is long, dry with a slight sour note.
This one goes well with milk chocolate, specifically Trader Joe's Belgian milk chocolate.
This is a fantastic single malt… one of the best I’ve ever had. I rank it up there in enjoyment with A’Bunadh and Bladnoch, though of course it is completely different, which is good, because it means more variety of excellence.
This is one I would love to stock up on, especially this batch, which is (to me) proven. I have asked my local LCBO to bring some in and I intend to get my hands on a healthy supply. Hopefully enough to part with a bottle as a trade or a gift sometime.
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high praise...I liked fusion; but didn't love it. This one did catch my eye though - perhaps I'll have to think some more about getting it before it dissapears. how peaty is it?