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I started 2022 with a bold sherried expression from India when I tasted the Paul John Oloroso Select Cask whisky, and today I continue the drams from the Indian continent. The Paul John Bold Indian single malt is a peated whisky released by the John Distillery in 2015. It is made from 6-row Indian barley and peated using peat brought to Goa from Islay.

I have written extensively about the history of the John Distillery and have tasted quite a few of their releases, including Nirvana and Pedro Ximénez Select Cask.

The Bold single malt edition is part of the Paul John flagship range together with Brilliance and Edited. Every whisky in the flagship range shows a different aspect of the Indian whisky. Brilliance is unpeated, Edited is mildly peated one, and Bold is pleated to about 25 ppm.

Paul John Bold whisky is aged in ex-bourbon barrels and a NAS release. According to some research, it is probably between 6-8 years old. The Paul John whisky is non-chill-filtered.

Paul John Indian Single Malt Bold Whisky Review

ABV: 46%

COUNTRY: India

COLOUR: Dark amber

NOSE: Smoky notes with fruit and honey sweetness with hints of peat and nuts. Lots of fresh fruit with hints of oak, dry grass and salt.

PALATE: A delicious balance between honey sweetness, peat, woody notes and spices. You can’t miss the Islay peat and smoky hints, but it is balanced with baked apple sweetness and green notes. Bits of dark chocolate and oak spice. Full body and oily. Bits of lemon and black pepper in the background.

FINISH: Long and lingering with notes of fruity sweetness, bits of salt and peat with hints of chocolate.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Bold Edition is delicious and unquestionably bold. It is not Ardbeg Uigeadail intensity, but more Ardbeg An Oa fruitiness bold. The Paul John Indian single malt Bold whisky is memorable and drinkable. I love the releases from this Master distiller. Bold has the Islay peat, but it is gentle and easy to drink.

A lovely regular sipper that is readily available in South Africa. It retails for about R 600, and it is my favourite release from the flagship series.

Also Read: Woodford Reserve Rye vs Jack Daniel’s Rye Whiskey

At the start of December 2021, I tasted the Paul John PX Cask Indian single malt whisky. A rich and dram from India that is ideally suited for winter sipping. December in South Africa is during summer, and as lovely as the PX Cask was, I am keeping my bottle for winter.

The Paul John Master Distiller, Michael D’souza, also released an Oloroso Select Cask finish Indian single malt whisky. Oloroso sherry is traditionally not as heavy and sweet as the PX sherry. Oloroso sherry has notes of toasted nuts with more earthy undertones when compared to the PX sherry, which has more dried fruit and honey notes.

So today, let me try the Paul John Oloroso Select Cask whisky. Like the PX, the Oloroso started life in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels and, after at least 5 years moved into first-fill ex-Oloroso casks for about two years.

The Select Cask series does not have an age statement, but it is probably around 7 years old.

Paul John Oloroso Select Cask Whisky Review

COUNTRY: India

ABV: 48%

COLOUR: Dark polished copper

NOSE: Christmas cake, treacle sweetness, nuts, bits of leather, hints of sherry and light woody notes.  Bits of summer  fruit and cinnamon. Rich and inviting.

PALATE: Red fruits, dark chocolate intermingled with pepper spice and oaky notes. A bit of alcohol heat. Bold without being overwhelming. Bits of leather, sherry and roasted malt.

The Oloroso evolve between intricate sweetness and spicy notes. A complex, full-body whisky. Not for a newbie.  Water brings down the alcohol heat and makes it smoother.

FINISH: Lingering with notes of drying oak, fruit and pepper.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a lovely drinkable dram. Lighter in mouthfeel when compared to the PX Cask, the Oloroso Select Cask is made for summer sipping.  It will be perfect for after dinner, sitting on the patio listening to the sounds of the night.  The Paul John Oloroso Select Cask single malt retails in South Africa for around R 1 500.

Putting these two drams next to each other is a great way to experience the impact of the different sherry casks on the whisky. I wondered if the PX compared to the Oloroso cask finishing would significantly differ in taste. And it did. The PX Select is sweeter, heavier, more complex and more of a winter dram; the Oloroso is nutty, lighter and more suited for summer.

There is a marked difference in the sweet notes, with the PX having more grape jam and dried fruit notes.  The Paul John Oloroso Cask has more chocolate and Christmas cake notes. The most significant difference is in the finish. The Oloroso has a lighter and softer finish, and it is easy to drink a second glass.

Both are lovely, but I prefer the Oloroso Cask above the PX Cask.  It might just be because it was 30C on Friday. During the cooler months, I will retry these two releases again.

Sample disclosure: I received this whisky sample from WhiskyShop. The review and tasting notes are my own honest, fair and independent thoughts about the whisky.

Also Read: A Whisky and Indian food pairing

Something sweet to start December on; the Paul John PX Select Cask Indian single malt whisky. Sherry reminds me of December and my Dutch grandmother. During the festive season, she enjoyed a late afternoon sherry on the patio.

They were usually quite sweet, and in my mind, the smell of sherry became associated with Gauteng summer evenings, purple Hydrangeas, bright red Poinsettias and long chats.

When Hector from WhiskyShop gifted me a sample of the Paul John PX Cask whisky, I realised it was the perfect dram to open at the beginning of December and the start of the Festive season. All the sherry to bring back special memories.

Paul John has released two sherry cask single malt whiskies as part of its Select Cask series. These drams were finished in Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez (PX) casks, respectively. Oloroso and PX are just two of the various sherry varietals.

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Fino is the driest, PX is the sweetest, and Oloroso falls about in the middle. Oloroso typically has caramel, walnut, and deep fruit notes. I will capture my tasting notes on the Oloroso early next year. Pedro Ximénez is sweeter, and you’ll get flavours like toffee, fig, raisin, and molasses.

Paul John makes use of six-row barley for their whisky. The six-row barley has a higher fibre and protein content when compared to the more traditional two-row barley. More proteins in the barley translate to more fatty acids in the liquid that adds to the whisky’s character.

This Paul John PX Cask whisky was first aged for about 5 years in 1st fill ex-Bourbon barrels before spending 2 years in the PX casks. It is a NAS release. The Paul John Pedro Ximénez Cask is not chill-filtered.

Paul John PX Select Cask Whisky Review

COUNTRY: India

ABV: 48%

COLOUR: Dark Copper

NOSE: Sherry sweetness, raisins, dried stone fruit with bits of wood and Christmas Cake. Hints of muscadel wine and ripe plums. Sweet, rich and complex. Delicious!

PALATE: Drying oak with nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. The sweetness comes through on the second sip with raisins, dried cherries and bits of dark chocolate. Freshly buttered toast with orange marmalade and black pepper. Toasted nuts and warm bread pudding. A maltiness in the background. Water softens the spices but takes away the complexity. Despite the higher ABV, the Paul John PX Cask does not need any water.

FINISH: Long and lasting with cinnamon and orange peel sweetness.

RATING: EXCELLENT

This is a sipping whisky. An after-dinner dram to savour and sip slowly. Especially in winter, this Indian whisky will warm you up from the inside. It is not a whisky for beginners. It is complex and heavy, and you need to take your time with this. Even at a 48% ABV, you don’t need to add water. Rich and delicious, I can’t wait for winter to relax with this dram. A beautiful release.

Other expressions of Paul John whisky include Paul John Nirvana, Paul John Brilliance, Paul John Bold, and Select Cask Classic and Select Cask Peated. The Paul John Pedro Ximénez Select Cask Whisky retails for R 1700.  I spotted some at the WhiskyShop.

During my visit to the WhiskyShop, I also spotted the Paul John Christmas Edition. I have tasted this beauty, and it is also a dram worth adding to your festive wish list.

Sample disclosure: I received this whisky sample from WhiskyShop. The review and tasting notes are my own honest, fair and independent thoughts about the whisky.

If you have been following me on social media for a while, you would know that I love whisky from the Paul John Distillery in India. I have tasted all the releases in their core range and loved it.

Additional to the core range, the Paul John Christmas Edition and Kanya release is heavenly, and I get very excited then something new appears from this Goan distillery. During 2019 the distillery released the Paul John Nirvana Indian single malt whisky as the entry-level single malt to the core range and eventually it has reached South African shores.

Nirvana is a place of perfect peace and happiness. Nirvana is defined as the highest state that someone can attain, a state of enlightenment.

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According to Paul P John, Chairman, ‘Nirvana is an expression for those willing and keen to experience single malts, especially for the first time. Its exotic richness is sure to captivate whisky connoisseurs and amateurs equally. It is an expression for those who discover happiness in their purpose of being.

Paul John whisky is created from the Indian 6 row barley (unpeated) and matured in charred American oak casks. The casks are stored in non-climate controlled warehouses. It is not chill-filtered with no added colour.

Paul John Nirvana Whisky Review

COUNTRY: India

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Deep Copper

NOSE: Malty and sweet with dry prunes, fruitcake and dark chocolate. Vanilla, tropical fruit and hints of cinnamon. A molasses sweetness in the background.

PALATE: Spicy notes make way for honey, butterscotch and fruity sweetness. Drying oak, vanilla and chewy barley mix with apples, cinnamon, ginger and bits of bourbon. Hints of fruitcake in the background with something coastal.

Like standing on the beach on a humid, windy evening with salty notes in the air. Very drinkable and utterly delicious! Water brings more sweetness forward.

FINISH: Medium length with sweetness and soft spices.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Nirvana whisky is delicious. It reminded me of summer evenings in Kerala with the warm, humid wind blowing through the palm trees. The Paul John Nirvana whisky retails for around R 500 in South Africa and is worth every cent.

I have seen it at Whiskybrother and Wild About Whisky. If you have not tried whisky from India, this is a great place to start. I have also tried the Paul John PX whisky as well as the Oloroso Select Cask release and both are lovely.

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An extraordinary tasting this week: The Paul John Mars Orbiter Indian single malt whisky! During this last year or two, this whisky brand from India has taken SA by storm. From being an unknown distillery to being stocked in all the good liquor stores, the Paul John whisky is the one people want to try.

The Paul John Classic Select Cask was one of the best drams I tasted during 2018. I have tasted most of the expressions available in SA and love them all. Michael D’Souza, the Master Distiller, has impeccable taste.

Now and again, the John Distillery also brings out limited releases such as their annual Christmas releases and limited cask finish releases. Thanks to WhiskyShop, a few of these bottles make it to SA for enthusiasts, and I can stock up.

During March, there was a Paul John whisky dinner that I was invited to, but due to family commitments could not attend. I was unfortunate to miss out on tasting more, but Brett from Valotone saved me the last bit of the Paul John Mars Orbiter single malt whisky, and I got a wonderful surprise when the sample arrived at my office.

The Paul John Mars Orbiter Peated is a limited edition single malt whisky which celebrates the successful launch of India’s first interplanetary mission. An Indian space probe to Mars that has also provided observations on Phobos, the Martian moon.

The Mars Orbiter has been orbiting Mars since September 2014 and has sent back incredible pictures of never before seen areas of Mars. It designed mission life was only 6 months, but Orbiter has been circling Mars for 4 years and is still in good health. What a remarkable achievement.

The John Distillery produced only 330 bottles of the Paul John Mars Orbiter Whisky in celebration. So it is a very limited edition. This single malt was drawn in the same month that Orbiter was launched. I have a sample from bottle no: 278.

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Paul John Mars Orbiter Whisky Review

COUNTRY: India

ABV: 57.8%

COLOUR: Aged Red copper

NOSE: Bit of alcohol heat. It needs to breathe a bit. Then comes soft peat, fruity sweetness, maple syrup, bits of burnt wood and vanilla. The second sniff brings floral notes. The nose is delicate and elegant.

PALATE: Peat and ash mixed with fruity sweetness, pepper and nutmeg spice. Woody notes balanced with bits of dark chocolate-covered oranges and hints of salt. The peat perfectly balanced with the sweeter fruit notes. But it is not a fishy type of peat such as Lagavulin or Laphroaig. It is a more woody type of peat.

A bit of alcohol heat but add water carefully. Despite the high ABV, just a few drops of water is needed to bring down the heat and bring more sweetness to the front.

FINISH: The finish is like a smoky campfire next door. You can smell the wood burning in the air, but it not overwhelming. Ends on notes of sweetness and peat with bits of pepper.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a special bottling. A fitting release for a special achievement. From the luxurious red box with the gold lettering to the stylish bottle, it is obvious that attention to detail went into every step. Even the bottle top; it feels like it is solid gold, it is heavy and grand.

The whisky and the drinking experience is unique and a celebration. If you are looking for a release with a special story, this is a collector’s item worth having. From what I have heard, the few bottles that did make it to SA got snatched up rather quickly. As I am writing this, only 2 bottles of the Paul John Orbiter remain in retail.

If you are lucky enough to travel via Bangalore, you might also spot a bottle or 2.

Sample disclosure: I received this whisky sample from WhiskyShop. The review and tasting notes are my own honest, fair and independent thoughts about the whisky.

Also Read:  Paul John Nirvana whisky