February 6th, 2012

Whisky Advocate Award: New World Whisky of the Year

John Hansell

Amrut Two Continents (2nd Edition), 50%, $100

It’s been a great year for whiskies from less traditional whisky territories, both in terms of new distilleries coming on line, and for distilleries bottling quality spirit for the first time. Choosing one winner has been a challenge, and honorable mentions should go to Glann ar Mor in France, Mackmyra in Sweden, Kavalan in Taiwan, and St. George’s in England for each releasing more than one outstanding whisky this year, and to Lark for continuing to produce stunning and impressively different single malt whisky.

But the award goes to Amrut for its second batch of Two Continents.  In fact, Amrut released four whiskies that could have lifted the crown, but two were very small scale and were all but gone before they were released. This one, which was first released a couple of years back to widespread acclaim, reappears in a slightly different format, and is even better than the original.  It’s an absolute peach of a malt and combines spirit made with Indian malt matured in Scotland with Scottish malt matured in India. The innovative approach to whisky making across the portfolio, the diversity of flavors, and in this case, the rich, complex, unique, and exciting oral explosion would impress anyone. Honorable mentions, too, for Amrut Portonova and Amrut Fusion, which would feature in any New World top ten for 2011. That’s some achievement for the distillery. Can’t wait to see what they come up with next. —Dominic Roskrow

Whisky Advocate’s Blended/Blended Malt Whisky of the Year will be announced here, tomorrow.

Category: Awards,Indian whisky,Writers Tags: , 7 Comments

September 16th, 2011

Review: Amrut Portonova

John Hansell

Amrut Portonova, 61.2%, $125

This release is a port version of Amrut’s Intermediate Sherry — a sort of port pipe sandwich. The spirit is matured in both unused casks and bourbon casks, then spends a few months in port pipes, and then returns to bourbon casks. The result is a Pink Floyd show of a whisky: vibrant, colorful, complex, and nearly too much. A blackcurrant and wispy, smoky nose gives way to an intense and bittersweet mix of chili, blackcurrant, oak, damson, dark chocolate, and peat. Astounding. —Dominic Roskrow

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 92

Category: Indian whisky,New Releases,Reviews,Writers Tags: 20 Comments

February 23rd, 2011

Malt Advocate Whisky Awards “World Whisky of the Year”: Amrut Fusion

John Hansell

This is a new award category for us. It includes all of the whisky distilling nations outside the major ones (United States, Canada, Scotland, and Ireland). We created this category to recognize that there are some wonderful whiskies being produced in countries like Japan, India, Sweden, England, and many more, but there aren’t enough whiskies made in any of these countries (and imported to the United States) to warrant their own category.

India’s Amrut distillery changed the way many think of Indian whisky — that it was just cheap Scotch whisky blended with who knows what and sold as Indian whisky. Amrut is making whisky, and it’s very good. Also, because of India’s very warm climate, the whisky matures very quickly, making it relatively affordable. Indeed, the Amrut whisky being sold in the U.S. (while bearing no age statement) is generally not over six years old.

Amrut finally began exporting their whisky to the U.S. in 2010. We’ve tasted our way through the various expressions (peated, sherried, cask strength, etc.) and we enjoyed them all, but the one that really impressed us was Amrut Fusion.

Fusion shows balance, complexity, and surprising maturity for its age — these are the defining characteristics for what is the best Indian whisky we have ever tasted. Combining Indian malt and peated Scottish malt, this whisky shows a sweet side, but is never cloying, with rich caramel, vanilla custard, and fruit cocktail in light syrup, balanced by vibrant — almost floral — dried peat smoke, delicate white pepper, and a hint of tropical fruit.  We look forward to more great whiskies from Amrut.

(Editor’s note: A second generation of Amrut will be in distribution in the United States by the time you read this. Compared to the original release, it comes across as being a little smokier, slightly drier, and perhaps not as rounded, but it’s still a very nice whisky.)

Tomorrow the “Pioneer of the Year” will be posted.

Category: Awards,Indian whisky Tags: , 33 Comments

December 3rd, 2010

And you wonder why whisky companies don’t import their whisky to the U.S.?

John Hansell

It’s not always because they don’t want to. Sometimes our government’s bureaucracy makes it nearly impossible for them to do so.

Yes, we addressed this issue before here with Amrut from India. Well, here’s another example of your U.S. tax dollars at work.

It’s true that “straight” whiskeys here in the U.S., like straight bourbon and straight rye whiskeys, must be aged in new, charred oak barrels. But it’s ridiculous for our government to require a whisky outside of the U.S. be aged in new charred oak barrels to be called a “single malt,” as described below by the importer of Amrut and (hopefully, some day) The English Whisky Company.

Many of you will recall that last year I wrote lamenting about the TTB’s decision to not allow Amrut to be designated as a “Single Malt Whisky”. After appeals and clarification they relented allowing US consumers to enjoy another Single Malt Whisky.

At Purple Valley Imports we are focused on bringing world class single malts to US consumers and have been working to offer the English Whisky Company Single Malts to the US market.

Well, the powers that be are up to the old tricks again.

We recently presented The English Whisky Company’s Chapter 6 and Chapter 9 to the TTB Beverage Lab for analysis. (Any “Whisky” not from Scotland, Ireland, Canada or the US must go through lab testing).

Although the English Whisky distilled spirits taste, smell and drink like Single Malts the TTB department has deemed that we may call these “Whisky or Whiskey” but not “Single Malt”. Their reasoning? Well, the spirits are not aged in “new oak charred barrels”. 

As all of you are aware the majority of distilleries in Scotland use ex-Bourbon barrels. Bourbon is aged in new oak charred barrels and can only be used once. So, technically whisky is being aged in “new oak charred barrels that have had bourbon pass through them”.

The English Whisky Company, is the first new distillery in England in over a century. Located some 250 miles from Scotland they produce “Single Malt” Whiskies using barley grown and malted in England. (By the way some 60% of the barley used for Scottish Malt Whiskies is grown in England).

Andrew Nelstrop, Managing Director of The English Whisky Company commented: “We use only English barley, malted in England. The whisky we are producing at present was also peated in England. I am not aware of any distillery that can claim they use 100% barley, water and yeast produced in their own country other than ourselves”.

So, here is a small Distillery producing a wonderful dram (can I  call a whisky that isn’t from Scotland a dram?), that the US will not allow to be labeled as “Single Malt”.

Yet, they will allow whiskies from a distillery in Wales (which is much further in distance to Scotland then the English Whisky Company is) to do so.

Well while the rest of the world enjoys The English Whisky Single Malts, the consumers in the US can only dream. 

We are appealing this from here and from the UK. As always we appreciate your support and comments

Cheers,

Raj Sabharwal

Category: English whisky,Indian whisky,Opinions,Regulatory issues Tags: , 50 Comments

June 2nd, 2010

Here’s where you can find Amrut Indian whisky in the U.S.

John Hansell

Some of you have been asking where you can find Amrut Indian whisky here in the U.S., now that the whisky is being imported. For now, there’s only a handful of places to find the delicious Fusion, among other offerings. You can find them here, according to the Importer’s website.

Category: Indian whisky Tags: 16 Comments

December 10th, 2009

Review: Amrut “Fusion”

John Hansell

Amrut FusionAmrut “Fusion”, 50%, $50
Balance, complexity and surprising maturity for its age—these are the defining characteristics for what is the best Indian whisky I have ever tasted. Amrut is doing some great things, and this whisky just elevated them to a new level. Combining Indian malt and peated Scottish malt, this whisky shows a sweet side, but is never cloying, with  rich caramel, vanilla custard, fruit cocktail in light syrup, balanced by vibrant—almost floral—dried peat smoke, delicate white pepper and a hint of tropical fruit (toasted coconut, pineapple). Soothing, lingering smoke finish.  I look forward to more great whiskies from Amrut. (Available in the U.S. in February, 2010)

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 89

Category: Indian whisky,New Releases,Reviews 11 Comments

September 7th, 2009

When is a “single malt” whisky not one?

John Hansell

The distillers of Amrut Indian whisky want to import their products into the United States. (This is great news!) To do this, the need label approval from the TTB (the governmental agency that regulates alcohol).

I just received this note from Ashok Chokalingam from Amrut:

When is a Single Malt Whisky not one? The TTB does not recognize “Single Malt” or “Peated Single Malt” as an acceptable designation for Single Malt whiskies produced outside of Scotland. Purple Valley Imports, the importers of Amrut Indian Single Malt Whiskies have been trying to get their products approved for labeling for what it is – Single Malt Whisky. However the TTB does not have a designation for “Single Malt Whisky.” With all of the world class quality Single Malts being produced outside of Scotland isn’t it time for the TTB to acknowledge that “Single Malt” is not unique to Scotland?

So, if they want to bring their single malt whisky into the U.S., they told me they would have to label it as either a “Straight Malt Whisky” or “Malt Whisky.”  (Straight Malt Whisky??) They have argued that a number of non-Scotland whiskies (e.g. Yamazaki from Japan and Penderyn from Wales) can label their whisky as “Single Malt,” but they are not allowed this designation.

Anyone out there know someone at the TTB who can help them label their whisky as what it is, a single malt?

Crazy!

Category: Indian whisky,Opinions,Regulatory issues Tags: , 33 Comments

May 30th, 2009

Review: Amrut Indian Whisky

John Hansell

Focus on Amrut Indian Whisky
Impressive whiskies for their age (around 4 years). And many will be surprised to discover that these whiskies were produced in India. Well done! (Note that prices are approximate, as they are not yet for sale in the U.S.)

Amrut, 46%, $40
A mouth-coating whisky, and oily in texture too! Ripe vanilla malt, peaches & cream, polished oak, roasted nuts and a hint of coconut cream pie. Soothing, creamy finish. A pleasant “anytime” dram. Smartly bottled at 46% to appreciate its fine textures and subtle nuances.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 80

Amrut, Limited Edition (bottled 2007), 61.9%, $60
Similar to the standard Amrut, except that it’s drier and spicier, with suggestions of bourbon. Not as creamy as the standard expression, but a bit more sophisticated.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 82

Amrut, Limited Edition, Peated, (bottled 2008), 62.78%, $70
Good balance between ripe barley, rum-like sweetness and damp kiln smoke. Dried oak spice, bourbon char, brine, and anise add complexity, peaking on the finish. An interesting contrast to the other Amrut whiskies. This whisky could pass for a youthful Islay malt.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 84

I also informally tasted a new Amrut whisky at WhiskyFest Chicago back in April. (Distillery reps were in attendance.) It’s called Fusion. It contains 25% peated whisky, 75% unpeated whisky. The unpeated malt is Indian, while the peated malt comes from Scotland. It’s bottled at 50%. Very enjoyable!

Category: Indian whisky,Reviews Tags: 8 Comments



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