Amrut Kadhambam

Rating: 19/23. Came with strong recommendations, and I enjoy other Amrut offerings, so I was optimistic. The multiple cask aging, especially with rum, oloroso, and brandy, is intriguing. Nose: A drier, tarter scent than anticipated, with floral notes, vanilla, and an interesting mustiness. A subtle light spiciness reminiscent of Copper Fox Rye's herbal, funky character. A very full nose that I quite like; it makes a statement but harmonizes well. This nose has personality, and apart from its similarity to Copper Fox, there's no indication of its likely youth. Palate: Quite a palate here! An immediate fruity, tannic tartness with treated wood and menthol, transitioning to sweeter notes of malt, caramel, vanilla, and a variety of tropical fruits. The complexity is amazing, with waves of flavor. The tartness and menthol persist throughout. The herbal flavor and menthol suggest a hint of peat. It's warm but not spicy or harsh, a reasonable warmth for 50% ABV. Finish: An interestingly bourbon-like character. Abundant vanilla with wood and caramel, plus a clear tartness. Lingering hints of tropical fruit, though mostly faded. Wisps of smoke accompany the wood notes. Initial comparison to Kavalan Solist Port Cask: The Kavalan's nose has more barrel and funk, while this displays more malt. The Kavalan is more intense, exploding with funk and port sweetness on the palate. However, the tannic tartness and tropical fruits are very similar primary components in both. Even with water, the Kavalan is a powerhouse, while this is just starting to show bomb potential. It's a close call, but the Kavalan slightly edges it out. Comparison to Johnnie Walker Green: The sweet and smoky combination also brought Johnnie Walker Green to mind. Likely due to its lower proof, the Johnnie Walker seems a bit watery and its flavors taste somewhat off and muddled in comparison. This Amrut decisively wins against the Johnnie Walker. Considering its performance against Kavalan and Johnnie Walker, a rating in the 18-20 range is appropriate. However, after letting the Kavalan open for 6-8 months, it has mellowed, and its complexities stand out more, suggesting I may have underrated it previously. A re-taste is necessary! This brings the rating to more like 18-21. Given how soundly it beat Johnnie Walker, a 19 seems likely, but 21 feels a stretch. I'm torn between 19 and 20. Both are fantastic ratings. It's only slightly better than Amrut Fusion, so I'm settling on 19.

It's taken me a while to review this. I'm not sure why, but I'm about 15% through the bottle after this generous tasting pour, and I feel fairly certain about my assessment, but as always, I'll review what's in my glass. Nose - The first impression is of Texas/Amrut... they are so alike. There's a distinct note of cinnamon and scorched earth. You can't ignore this. Beyond that, I detect raisins and significant oak characteristics with hints of many things. Yes, the detailed "things" mention, haha. Taste - Dusty, chalky notes of oak, sugar, earthiness, and pure sweetness. It then transitions to rich brandy, chocolate, and fruity rum with elements of oak and nutmeg. What is this, haha? It almost reminds me of an infinity bottle. Adding a bit of water enhances the wine notes; the richness and depth remain. It's less gritty and dusty on the nose or in the mouth. It's still a mouth-coating and intense experience. Overall, the nose doesn't impress me. It's significantly less than amazing. It just lacks richness or complexity. But then the flavor arrives, and WOW... it's explosive. I'm in a strange position where I could list more notes as they continue indefinitely, but read the label. You'll understand that and the Texas/Amrut element; it's far more than you'd anticipate at 50% ABV. Alright, the downside is that it's somewhat young. There's an element of youth that persists; it's somewhat concealed when neat because the bolder mouthfeel masks it. In summary, a flavor explosion, so intricate and overwhelming that it's slightly unfocused. 3.75 for me... I'm in the 88 range. No, it's not aged, incredible whisky; it isn't the fusion x, but damn. It's good. However, if you prioritize flavor over smoothness, lack of youthful notes, or other factors, this won't score as highly.

Amrut is a distillery I adore. Everything they produce is exceptional, and this Kadhambam is no different. The name 'Kadhambam' is Tamil for "Mixture," and its maturation in blue brandy casks, Oloroso Sherry butts, and Rum barrels promises a complex whisky. Bottled at 50% ABV, it has a beautiful copper hue. From the moment you open the bottle, the aroma conveys a sense of something truly special. Thick sherry syrup; an incredibly appealing scent. Notes of coffee and molasses, pineapple and coconut (from the rum barrel). It smells like glazed pork. After the first sip, I detected lemon and caramelized oranges. Prominent lemon zest and condensed milk. The palate was amazing. It starts quite sulphuric and almost peaty, with leather notes. Red fruits and cognac. Vanilla cake, prunes, and lulo fruit. The finish was also magnificent. Many earthy elements are present: the scent of a leather wallet, salt, and pepper. Very wine-like and dry. Ginger. After a third sip, a wonderful peaty/ashy note emerged that was heavenly. Overall, this is a fantastic whisky. I don't find it excessively priced, costing around $120 if you search online effectively, and it's hard to surpass at that price point. It's incredibly complex and delicious, with considerable strength; the blend of peaty, brandy, rum, and sherry flavors is executed flawlessly. An amazing dram, I can't find any faults, so it receives a perfect score. 100 out of 100. P.S.: Isn't it wonderful when you discover a whisky that astounds you?

A shared dram with a friend! Appearance: Golden honey color, oily texture. Nose: Unexpectedly low alcohol or peat, quite clean with some saltiness. Mouthfeel: Fairly thin compared to Amrut Fusion. Flavor: Hints of figs, though uncertain. Not immediately fig-like, but close. A distinct, possibly novel taste. Slight cinnamon, but not hot or spicy. Definitely notes of sherry and leather, with various fruits like cherry and plum. Wood notes are prominent. Perplexing to describe accurately, but complex! Will need to revisit. Conclusion: Personally, I favor the richer, creamier Fusion, but this is also delicious. I can see why many might prefer this over Fusion due to its many flavors, and it might be my mood today. Gloomy, cold weather made the deep sweet creamy flavors of Fusion particularly enjoyable. I'll rate this the same as Fusion for now, pending another tasting. A 3.5, falling between 'good but not buying' and 'solid, will wishlist/buy'.

Not bad. Tried at Dramfest '18 and rated it 3.25. My palate was getting overwhelmed though, so it might be higher on another occasion. Spectrum was definitely superior. Update two years later, Dramfest 2020. Wow, this was awesome. I'm not sure why I gave it such a low score before, but at both festivals, I tried it late on the second day after many, many drams, so I likely mixed up my notes. This was a really good dram. Not quite in the same league as Chairman's Reserve, but easily in the 4.25 to 4.5 range.

Batch 12. An incredible blend. Nose: Raisins, Chocolate, Apricots, Honey, Pineapples, Mangoes, Passion Fruit, Sultanas, Oranges, Almond Cake, Figs, Luxardo Cherries, Dates Palate: Honey, Smoke, Sultanas, Oranges, Raisins, Grapefruit, Toffee, Figs, Plums, Violets, Dark Chocolate, Prunes, Blackberries Finish: Oranges, Raisins, Dark Chocolate, Honey, Prunes, Dates, Salted Caramel, Violets, Luxardo Cherries, Raspberries