Amrut Peated Single Malt Whisky

Product Description

Amrut Distilleries is Bangalore-based. JN Radhakrishna Rao Jagdale set up Amrut Distilleries in 1948 and 56 years on, his grandson launched Amrut Whisky, the first Indian single malt brand. Interestingly, Rakshit Jagdale started it all as an MBA student in Newcastle, UK, in response to his father’s challenge to market an Indian single malt in the very home of the spirit, in Scotland. Conforming to the tough European Union packaging norms took a lot of time and effort. But it was all worth it. We had our jaw-dropping moment when the host at Glasgow’s famous Pot Still whisky pub served Amrut to a group of connoisseurs, without telling them where it was from. Each person named a different region of Scotland as the likely place of origin, but they were unanimous in their appreciation, recalls Jagdale junior, who is an executive director of the company. What sets it apart from other Indian liquor brands is its target market. India has always been a huge whisky market, but at the lower end. We wanted to move from quantity to quality, and the biggest challenge was to gain acceptance from the luxury whisky market in Europe, chairman and managing director of the company. That’s why they set aside a portion of their blends for ageing. The success of Amrut in the Western markets is to a great extent because of endorsements from people who matter.

The bouquet shows fresh baked chocolate brownies and peat mingled with vanilla ice cream, a few citrus and melon hints. The smoke is more subtle and the rubbery, medicinal quality is as well, both being very honeyed and hiding a little behind the high alcohol, chocolate-y grain and peat. The palate shows a smooth entry, the grain develops wonderfully, going from honey and cocoa notes to spicier, woodier, much more tannic, drying tones. The peat is there as well, adding a nice pungent quality along with some dry wood smoke. Whooooof, hot, spicy, smokey, peaty, and dry on the finish.