Amrut Madeira Finish

My first time with a madeira-finished whiskey, so I'm not sure what to anticipate, but this feels like an exploration! Nose: It presents a tart, syrupy character. I detect a pleasant deep, bitter, spicy woodiness akin to a well-aged sherried whiskey. There's also a richness and slight savory note. The syrup possesses a nectar-like quality with orange and cherry hints, similar to a fine cognac. The aroma is rich and well-composed. Palate: It tastes richer and fruitier than the standard Amrut Single Malt, yet it seems to need more time to mature. It strongly resembles a moderately young Glenfarclas, surprisingly. Beyond a more tropical profile (instead of chocolatey and spicy with dried dark fruits), it tastes like an 15-18 year old Glenfarclas. It's as if the sherry is masking a spirit that's still too young for its prime, and it doesn't quite work initially, but then it begins to harmonize, revealing a sweet, rich fullness that evokes an older sherried whiskey, more in the style of Glenfarclas 17. I pick up those cherry and orange notes alongside a spicy harshness and cereal flavor that indicate its youth. Nevertheless, there are some enjoyable hints of mango and pineapple, along with rich coconut, making it a quite rich, pleasant whiskey. Finish: It retains that sherry bomb characteristic, with the fruits persisting the longest, especially the dark fruits. Towards the end of the long finish, a touch of coconut reappears. Overall, it's actually quite good. I'd estimate it's at least an 18 and potentially a 20. The Amrut Single Malt Cask Strength is more bold with an interesting, carefree complexity, while this is a more classic and proper, smooth, somewhat sherried dram. I should compare it with the Oban Little Bay for its sweet, whimsical fruitiness. This is slightly more enjoyable than the Oban. It's richer with a more indulgent quality, whereas the Oban is more mineral and light with some added, albeit playful, complexity, and perhaps a hint of sea spray. I marginally prefer this. The standard Amrut falls slightly short of both the Oban Little Bay and Oban 14. Despite this being excellent and having an interesting oloroso presence, when tasted side-by-side, I slightly favor the Amrut Fusion. It's not a significant preference, but it is a preference. Given that it costs more than double, I don't foresee purchasing a bottle. I believe this surpasses the regular strength standard Amrut. The regular Amrut tastes weak and underdeveloped in comparison, while this offers a pleasant fruity boldness. The more I taste, the more diverse fruits emerge. I truly enjoy it. In direct contrast with Glenfarclas 105, the Glenfarclas is audacious with various unbalanced vegetal notes, whereas this tastes similarly rich, yet also quite refined and elegant. This is vastly superior. I'd rank it slightly above the Amrut Fusion, though not by much. 19 seems appropriate, though it could reach 20. A remarkably fine whiskey, though its value is debatable.

Details: A limited release from the distillery. Only 4800 bottles were produced. This is actually the first release from the distillery with a Madeira finish. The Madeira wine comes from the Madeira islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The wine itself is a fortified Portuguese wine, dating back to the 15th century. It's believed this wine played a significant role in the cask maturation process. Returning to this specific release, it's a rich and multi-faceted whisky aged primarily in ex-bourbon casks with a prolonged finish in ex-Madeira casks from family cooperatives in Spain and Portugal. A fantastic whisky bottled at 50% ABV. Nose: Extremely sweet, brown sugar. Rum influence? Something typical of the distillery... a rusty old pipe. Orange and caramel. Palate: Textured and sweet. Heavily influenced by the Madeira wine. Scottish caramel. Toasted hazelnuts. Very round and easy to drink. Orchard fruits, honey, almonds... and it continues to impress! Finish: The finish echoes the distillery's foundations. Sweet notes of ripe candied honey and orange, complemented by a certain bitterness from oak and grapefruit, and a spicy touch. Overall: An excellent sipper! Truly! It's a delight from start to finish! I had high expectations after reading about this whisky last fall, where it was ranked among the top 10 for fall 2018 alongside other heavyweights (likely the only affordable one alongside Booker's). I can't believe any true whisky enthusiast would pass up such a product. It's certainly not a "unicorn," but it's definitely worth the price. I appreciate the distillery, even though I don't systematically seek out all their new releases. This one is a good one to have at home. A fine example of what the distillery produces. I love it! 91%

I'm clearly a devoted follower of this brand. Most of these spirits have guided me away from my previous fixed ideas about what drinks ought to be; this brand, for me, was the entry point to spirits with prominent fruit notes. The special cask finishes from this producer are very rich, fruity, and generally delicious. This one is ideal for a cool or wet day; it's even difficult to resist when the temperature is 100 degrees. Obvious flavors include strawberry jam, chocolate, and chewable grape aspirin. The finish is not as sudden as some other spirits' characteristics suggest, but it's inconsistent with the overall dense experience. There's sufficient bitterness at the end to encourage me to seek out more of the fruity jam at the start. The value and cost are the only significant drawbacks. You will likely enjoy it, but perhaps not at the asking price; you will adore it if it's given to you as a present:) 5.0 - acquire as much as you can find. 4.0 - obtain at least one bottle before you pass on. 3.0 - respectable, must sample at a bar, or get some from a friend. 2.0 - did not appreciate it, you might. 1.0 - your taste buds may resemble my dog's, and he cleans himself.

I’m a big admirer of Amrut. Yes, India excels in IT, pharmaceuticals, and Bollywood. Amrut has also made its mark with premium single malt whiskey crafted from local ingredients and shaped by the Deccan desert heat. This particular release is a special edition, though profits might encourage a second batch. It's Amrut's first venture with Madeira maturation. The aroma is its strongest suit. A few drops of water reveal dried fruit, hazelnuts, and surprisingly, a floral note. The taste echoes the aroma. However, the intense heat is a drawback, leaving a burning sensation. It feels like it could have benefited from more time aging. I also missed the cardamom, which I'd come to expect as an Amrut characteristic. For Amrut enthusiasts, this is a definite must-try. Others might want to wait.

Nose: Caramel, creamy vanilla, ripe grilled pineapple, candied red berries, grilled bananas Palate: Lightly peppery sweet heat, caramel, grilled pineapple, sweet apple/pear juice, riesling/moscato reduction Finish: Lingering light sweet heat, fruity/syrupy white wine reduction, lightly drying Score: 90/100 Final Thoughts: This one is quite enjoyable and well-balanced. It might lean a little too sweet for some, but I really appreciate the fruity notes I'm getting. It truly enhances the tropical character of the base spirit, and it all comes together harmoniously. A tiny splash of water mellows the initial mouth burn/heat, but otherwise leaves the overall experience largely unchanged. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Yes Would I buy a bottle? - If I could find it for around $70-80USD

I had the pleasure of attending a tasting event for this brand with a representative from the company at a whiskey bar in downtown Austin. I sampled five distinct expressions from the brand over the course of the evening, along with a pleasant punch made using their peated single malt. I detected numerous notes of raisins, figs, and some baking spices from the barrel. The taste was nearly sweet, and did not reveal the cask strength of this particular offering. The finish was not as prolonged as I would anticipate for a cask strength spirit. This one was distinctive for me. I've experienced many sherry finishes, but not a lot of madeira finishes. I would rate this fourth out of five pours for the evening, primarily because I'm not the greatest admirer of wine finishes, but also because even if I had enjoyed this one more, it's quite rare and likely very expensive.