Amrut whiskies

History

Amrut Distilleries began as a spirits company for the Indian market, where much of what is sold as whisky is made from molasses. At the turn of the century the owning family bet on distilling barley malt in the Scottish style. Its first single malt was presented in the United Kingdom before India, and the good reviews paved the way for other producers in the country. Since then the distillery has released editions with Indian barley, peated Scottish barley and maturations in very different casks, and has become a reference name in so-called new world whisky.

House style

In Bangalore whisky loses much more volume to evaporation each year than in Scotland, and the wood works fast. The result is young but intense malts, with tropical fruit, vanilla, spice and very present oak. They are usually bottled at high strength and without chill filtration, which gives them body and texture. The house has also experimented with wine, sherry and rum casks, always with the same tropical intensity.

Where to start

If it’s your first Amrut, start with Amrut Indian Single Malt, which shows the house’s fruity, spicy character. Amrut Fusion blends Indian barley with peated Scottish barley and adds a gentle smoke; it’s the next step if you’re drawn to fuller-bodied whiskies. Both are high-strength whiskies: a few drops of water help open up the aromas and reveal the fruit beneath the wood.

• Amrut Indian Single MaltSingle malt · 46% ABV
• Amrut FusionSingle malt · 50% ABV