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Amrut Distilleries Ltd is an Indian company that produces distilled beverages. It is best known for its Amrut brand of single malt whisky, which is the first single malt whisky to be made in India. Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for whisky from the Amrut Distillery releases . The distillery is situated in Bangalore. This is a whisky from India. I have tasted the Amrut Fusion and just loved it.

Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 01/11/2021

In Single Malt whisky

Amrut is a brand of Indian single malt whisky manufactured by the Amrut Distilleries in Bangalore. It is the first single malt whisky to be made in India. The brand became famous after whisky connoisseur Jim Murray declared Amrut Fusion single malt whisky as one of the world’s best whiskies in the 2010 edition of his annual Whisky Bible.

Amrut Distilleries Ltd was founded in Bangalore, Karnataka, in 1948 by JN Radhakrishna Rao Jagdale. The company initially manufactured Indian Made Foreign Liquor.

They built the distillery in 1987, and it is located on Mysore Road, roughly 20 km from Bangalore. Most distillers in India were manufacturing whisky by converting molasses to alcohol. In 1982, Jagdale decided to create a premium whisky from barley blended with malt.

Amrut Distilleries began procuring barley from farmers in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. The company had a surplus stock of their malt whisky by 1995, and Jagdale allowed some barrels to age longer to see how they would turn out. Amrut, according to the company, translates as “Elixir of Life”.

The Angel’s Share

The whiskies had been ageing for almost four to five years by the year 2000. Amrut discovered that the hot weather in India makes whisky mature faster than it does in Europe or the United States. The fraction lost to the angels’ share is also higher, at 11–12% per year.

In Scotland, the annual evaporation loss is about 2%. Surinder Kumar, the master blender at Amrut Distilleries, estimates that one year of barrel ageing in India is equal to three years of ageing in Scotland. Launched in 2009, Amrut Fusion is produced using 25% Scottish peated barley and 75% unpeated Indian barley.

The two barleys are matured separately in oak casks in Bangalore for around four years. Subsequently, the two matured malts are blended in measured proportions and married for three months in ex-bourbon casks.

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Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky Review

COUNTRY: India

ABV:46%

COLOUR: A golden yellow. It is quite an oily whisky and makes long fingers on the sides of the glass.

NOSE: Quite subtle. There are notes of oak, cereals and barley. There is a hint of bourbon in the background and very mild peat. After the addition of a bit of water, fresh-cut flowers appear on the nose.

PALATE: Without the addition of water, the palate brings oak and is very spicy. Adding some water allows the Amrut Fusion to open up, and it delivers a nice mouthful that hits you with lots of spice, very mild peat and sweetness.

There are notes of oak and bourbon with hints of toffee. This full-bodied Amrut Fusion has a wonderfully complex palate. It is a warming whisky with amazing character.

FINISH: The Amrut Fusion single malt has a stunning finish. It builds to a crescendo transitioning from spicy to sweetness at the end. Most whiskies finish the other way around. The fantastic thing about the Amrut Fusion whisky is that it ends on a deliciously sweet note after starting quite spicy. There are notes of condensed milk with soft spices at the end. A thoroughly brilliant whisky for a cold evening.

RATING: DIVINE

This is a delicious single malt whisky from an amazing country. I could not find Amrut in Bangalore on our last trip in 2011 as Amrut only launched in India this past year. I will hopefully be going back to India in 2015 to spend some time with our friend Professor Sundar in Bangalore and then hope to visit this amazing distillery.

The Amrut Fusion retail for around £50 in the UK and ₹ 3,286 in India.

Other Amrut Expressions I have tried include the Amrut Kadhambam as well as the Amrut Intermediate Sherry whisky.

Also Read: Reisetbauer 12 yo Whisky

Amrut Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/12/2017

In Single Malt whisky

Today I look at a whisky from India, the Amrut Indian single malt whisky. Thirty-five years ago, most whiskies came from Scotland. The sacred place where whisky is distilled and aged as part of a nearly religious experience.

Chivas and Dimple were premium blends that epitomized everything Scottish and masculine. It was a man’s drink in a man’s world. Ronald Reagan was president, and the Cold War was a reality.

It was the time of the Falkland War, the launch of MTV and Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spenser. Chernobyl exploded, and the Simpsons were created.

A busy time in history. On a side note: I read about the 80’s history, and it reminds me of the uncertainty that we are currently facing. Bombings, terrorist attack and political instability characterized most of the 1980s.

Fast forward to today. The Cold War is over, MTV is still around, Chernobyl is still radioactive, and the Simpsons are on season 28. Bart has not aged much. Chivas and Dimple have stood the test of time. But there was a significant change – whisky is not only from Scotland any more.

Now great quality whisky is made all over the world from my local favourite Three Ships whisky in Wellington South Africa to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Taiwan.

Most of Europe has whisky distilleries that release quite decent bottlings regularly. Some whisky releases from Japan cost an arm, and a leg and India has surprised everyone with some award-winning releases from their Amrut distillery.

India is one of my favourite counties to travel in. The mix of colours and spices, the rich history and vast nature is a combination that you don’t get anywhere in the world. I loved the Amrut Fusion and the Amrut Two Continents. I have written about the Bangalore based distillery history extensively in these posts.

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Amrut Indian Single Malt Whisky Review

I have a bottle from Batch No 23, October 2010.

COUNTRY: India

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Golden Yellow

NOSE: Spices, bits of wood with fruity notes.There are notes of sweet candy floss, malt and ripened plum with vanilla. It’s a dram that needs to breathe a bit to let some of the alcohol blow off.

PALATE: Loads of wood and spice. Faints hints of dried citrus peel and dried cranberries. It has a spicy black pepper bite with cloves and a bit of fruity dried apricot sweetness. It is quite oily and has an alcohol burn if you don’t add a bit of water to smooth the Amrut single malt out.

FINISH: Spicy with a dried citrus peel.

RATING: VERY GOOD

An enjoyable dram, but not my favourite from the Amrut range. It does not have the same complexity and richness that a Fusion or a Two Continents have. Karen paired the Amrut single malt with some coffee and cardamom flavoured chocolate. Thank you for joining me on this cold Friday afternoon, Karen. It was lots of fun to share this exciting world whisky with you.

Lately, it seems like when I try an Amrut, I end up sharing it with a friend. I had my good friend Zee visiting when I tried the Amrut Intermediate Sherry and this Amrut single malt whisky I shared with Karen. Whisky is really made for sharing.

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Amrut Intermediate Sherry Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/22/2016

In Single Malt whisky

As I write this review, John is in Bangalore as part of his teaching commitment. So it is only fitting that we try a whisky from India this week. I packed him a sample of the Amrut Intermediate Sherry single malt whisky to taste while he is there.

With the 3,5 hour time difference between South Africa and India, he could relax after a long day, with a dram produced not far from where he is teaching.I was fortunate to share the dram with a good friend here at home.

Zee, a whisky lover, has never tried Indian whisky before. I was glad to share my tasting with her. Her daughter is a good friend of my little M, so while the 2 girls were playing dress-up, we settled down to try the Amrut Intermediate Sherry whisky.

In some of our previous posts, we wrote extensively about the start of Amrut in India. We have quite a few bottles from this distillery and have rated both the Amrut Fusion whisky and Amrut Two Continents whisky as Divine.

You can read more about the history of Amrut in our previous posts. Amrut launched the Amrut Intermediate Sherry at the Paris Whisky Live Show on 25 September 2010.

It was named ‘Intermediate’ because the whisky started its maturation in Bourbon casks. Then it is shipped to Spain and put into Sherry casks. The filled casks are sent back to India. It is done to avoid infection problems with shipping empty sherry casks. The whisky is left to mature in the Sherry for a period and then put back into bourbon casks to complete its maturation.

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Amrut Intermediate Sherry Whisky Review

COUNTRY: India

ABV: 57.1%.

COLOUR: Red copper with hints of orange.

NOSE: An abundance of sherry notes mixed with spice, raw oak and overripe plums and figs. The nose is reminiscent of sawdust and an old book being opened. Faint hints of vanilla intertwine with traces of condensed milk with faints hints of vanilla and plump raisins.

Zee described the nose as a perfect balance between sherry and wood. The addition of water released some floral notes and removed the overt woody and must notes.

PALATE: The Amrut has sweetness mixed with loads of spice. Cloves, nutmeg and pepper come to mind. It’s very woody on the palette with a whiff of mineral spirits. Without water, it has a bit of an alcohol bite.

The whole combination seems a bit raw – as though it should have been aged more to get some of the sharper edges out. The addition of water certainly adds smoothness. After water, there are more fruity and flowery notes but also more spice.

FINISH: Medium length with lots of spicy notes, bitter citrus with an overlay of wet wood.

RATING: GOOD

I love the Amrut releases, but this expression is not their finest work. It seems rushed, and the notes and flavour do not combine elegantly. It had potential, and one can only hope future expression live up to its sister expressions’ standards, some of which are indeed a delight. Other Amrut expressions I have tried include the Amrut Kadhambam and the Amrut single malt.

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Peaty whisky and blue cheese pairings

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/21/2015

In Whisky & Cheese

Blue Tower cheese whisky pairing header
Going past a well-stocked Woolworths is a treat, and last week I found a Fairview Blue Tower cheese. Pairing whisky and blue cheese is usually a match made in heaven, and I wanted to explore more of these pairing options.

This Blue Tower has won the South African National Dairy Championships first prize in the Blue or White Veined Cheese Category for 2015. This Blue Tower cheese is a full fat blue-veined Gorgonzola-style cheese with a mild flavour and a rich, creamy texture.

The Fairview Blue Tower is made with more cream than a Blue Rock, resulting in a creamier texture. It also has a slightly higher moisture content, making it a bit softer and more decadent. This high-fat blue mould cheese is made from jersey milk and matured for three months to give a sharp, almost spicy flavour.

After the success of the Laphroaig 10 yo Cask Strength and Stilton pairing, I decided to pair this cheese with some other interesting peaty whiskies from my collection.

Peaty whisky and blue cheese pairings

Laphroaig Quarter Cask Whisky

Blue Tower cheese whisky pairing Laphroaig Quarter Cask whisky
First up, I paired it with the Laphroaig Quarter Cask whisky. My tasting notes for this Islay single malt Scotch included iodine, peat, smoke toffee sweetness with fruity notes, some citrus and oak. I rated this Scottish whisky as Excellent. What an incredible pairing this made! The Blue Tower cheese made the Laphroaig Quarter Cask sweeter and smoothed out the medicinal notes.

The whisky and Blue Tower cheese pairing brought out the creamy butter taste in both the whisky and the cheese and softened the cheese’s spicy, mouldy taste. The Laphroaig release is readily available whisky in South Africa. I give this pairing a Rating: 4,5/5.

Dalmore Cigar Malt

Blue tower and Dalmore whisky cheese pairing
My tasting notes for this Highland single malt Scotch whisky included notes of raisins, vanilla, toffee and caramel on the nose. But for me, water unravelled this whisky, and after adding water, it was all smoke, old wet leather and orange zest mixed with a few notes of cinnamon spices. I rated the Dalmore Cigar Malt as Good during my tasting in September 2013.

However, I wanted to see if the cheese could transform this dreary whisky (and allow me to finish this bottle). Pairing the Dalmore whisky and Blue Tower cheese softens the wet leather and tobacco notes in the whisky and made it more drinkable. However, the Dalmore does nothing to the Blue Tower, and I give this pairing a Rating: 2,5 /5.

Also Read: Jura Origin & Comté Cheese

Bowmore Enigma 12 year old Whisky

blue tower cheese bowmore enigma whisky cheese pairing
The third whisky and Blue Tower cheese pairing were the Bowmore Enigma 12 year old whisky. I bought this single malt Scotch bottle at Wild About Whisky in Dullstroom on one of our weekends’ visits to the quaint little town.

The tasting notes for this Islay release include sherry, malty toffee, biscuit oats, a wisp of wood smoke and a white pepper sweetness. Again, what a great whisky cheese pairing.

The Blue Tower cheese and Bowmore 12 yo whisky creates a smooth, rich, creamy mouthfeel, and this pairing brings the best of each element to the front. A slightly more expensive pairing, but worthy of a try. I give this pairing a Rating: 4/5.

Three Ships 5 year old whisky

blue tower cheese Three Ships 5yo whisky cheese pairing
Next up, I tried a truly South African whisky from the beautiful Western Cape. I have previously seen that the Bain’s whisky paired wonderfully with the Fairview Camembert. I wanted to try this Woolworths Blue Tower with South Africa’s very own peaty classic. The tasting notes for the Three Ships 5 yo whisky included oak, barley, and hints of peat, cinnamon and honey.

There are hints of vanilla and fresh fruit. This whisky and Blue Tower cheese pairing blew me away. The whisky becomes peatier and smoky paired with the Blue Tower cheese. The spiciness of the cheese is enhanced, and together they have that yummy factor. A readily available and affordable pairing. I give this pairing a Rating: 4/5.

Amrut Two Continents Whisky

blue tower cheese and Amrut Two continents whisky cheese pairing
Last but not least, I tried an Amrut Two Continents Indian single malt whisky. It is one of my favourite whiskies, and my tasting notes for this Indian whisky included honey, spice and vanilla. There was a hint of peat but no smoke. I gave the Amrut Two Continents a Divine rating. Pairing this great whisky with the Woolworths Blue Tower cheese created magic.

The whisky and cheese combined to become a smooth, complex and rich experience. It is an incredibly special pairing. The subtle sweet notes of the Amrut Two Continents is enhanced and the whisky brings out a nuttiness in the cheese. I give this pairing a Rating: 5/5.

It seems like this Blue Tower cheese pairs well with many smoky or peaty type whiskies. What would you pair with this cheese?

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Amrut Kadhambam Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 12/01/2014

In Single Malt whisky

Today I try a whisky from India, the Amrut Kadhambam single malt whisky. We love travelling and have been fortunate to visit many countries around the world. Few countries can compete with the intense colour, spice and the hustle and bustle that is India.

It is one of my favourite countries to visit and I have spent some wonderful times in Mumbai, Bangalore and the beautiful region of Kerala. On one of our trips, we were fortunate enough to get hold of some Amrut. We bought all our Amrut whisky releases outside of India. Amrut whisky is still fairly unknown locally.

This is however, slowly starting to change. Hopefully, on our next visit, we will be able to buy some Amrut in Bangalore. Amrut is a brand of Indian single malt whisky, manufactured by the Amrut Distilleries in Bangalore.

It was the first single malt whisky made in India. Amrut, according to the company, translates as “Elixir of Life”. We have tried both the Amrut Fusion and the Amrut Two Continents wrote extensively about the Amrut background. We rated both these Indian whiskies as DIVINE.

Kadhambam means ‘mixture’ or ‘combination’ in the Tamil language. Amrut Kadhambam is created from Amrut single malt whisky and a small amount of Amrut Peated single malt whisky matured in 3 different cask-types.

The Amrut Kadhambam was first matured in ex-Oloroso Sherry butts, then filled into ex-Brandy casks and matured for a further period.

It is then emptied into ex-rum casks, where maturation continues. Both the rum and brandy was produced at Amrut. The three different casks each offer different tasting profiles, which make for an interesting combination.

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Amrut Kadhambam Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: India

ABV: 50%

COLOUR: Dark golden colour. It is an oily whisky with long slow fingers in the glass.

NOSE: brings sherry and dark Christmas pudding combined with spices and fresh fruit. There are hints of oak in the background. After the addition of water, the oak comes through more strongly, together with barley and cereals. There are faint hints of honey sweetness mixed with faint chocolate and vanilla notes.

PALATE: Oak and spices with hints of dried fruits and plums. The Kadhambam has an oily mouthfeel and is smooth and rich. There are bits of spice, fruits and more dark chocolate in the background. The Amrut Kadhambam has a complex nose and palate.

FINISH: The best part of this great Indian whisky. It goes on and on and ends in notes of oak and spice. There are little hints of leather and tobacco.

RATING: EXCELLENT

An incredible combination of 3 different casks. Hopefully, we will visit this distillery on our next visit to India and learn more about how they make whisky in India. What is your favourite Amrut release?

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