Amrut Single Malt Cask Strength

Rating: 17/23 This is likely an improvement over the standard Amrut Single Malt. Nose: The aroma is robust and unusual, featuring sweet-tart cherries alongside mushrooms, reminiscent of aging in cherry wood. After a moment, more spice and wood emerge, along with a richer caramel sweetness. There's a pleasant toasty nuttiness in the wood, like pecans. The complexity of the aroma is quite good, although it's quite intense due to the cask strength. I detect some damp wood with the mushrooms, but it doesn't seem moldy. Palate: Initially, it's not particularly impressive. It's good, but no better than the standard Amrut Single Malt. It's as if the peat component was removed from the Amrut Peated Cask Strength, reducing its complexity significantly and overly emphasizing the cherry candy flavor. However, upon adding water, it surprisingly develops some of the funkiness found in Westward. I get mushroom notes combined with wood and spices, creating a cherry wood profile similar to the nose. With the right amount of dilution, the profile closely resembles Westward's, but with added cherry. Occasionally, I notice tropical fruits and a spiciness that, while a bit fiery, has a pleasant cinnamon character. Finish: Some sweet cereal flavor remains, along with a hint of cardboard-like wood, while a toasty nuttiness emerges. It's not outstanding, but the nuttiness is quite enjoyable. It's a close call between this and Westward, so I'm calling it a draw. Considering the price, this offers better value for money if you can locate it. Given that it matches Westward, and I previously rated Westward a 16, perhaps Westward was rated a bit low. This is considerably superior to the standard Amrut Single Malt. I'm leaning towards a 17, but it could be a 16.

61.8% ABV Nose - (without water) Tropical floral fruitiness, sweet cooked pineapple, oak-aged apple cider. (with water) reveals an extra touch of ripe plantains and a creamier sweetness. Taste - (without water) Spicy sweet floral honey, slightly bitter vanilla, a hint of bitter citrus peel. (with water) significantly reduces the burn, uncovering a very dry citrusy barrel-aged apple/pear cider, the bitterness is somewhat lessened, with more cooked honey notes. Finish - (without water) Hot spice from the proof, mouth-drying, lingering fruity floral sweet spiced honey. (with water) the burn is considerably reduced, bittersweet like orange peel with a touch of vanilla & honey. Score - 88/100 Final Thoughts - This is a very pleasant single malt, it has some nice tropical notes that I appreciate as it differs from most single malt Scotch. Water greatly improves this single malt as it's a bit of a chaotic mess at its bottling proof. The water calms the alcohol burn and reveals a delightful tropical vanilla honey. It's not something I'd regularly choose, but it's a nice offering that isn't sherried or peated and provides pleasant tropical notes.

From India's hot climate comes this Amrut, meaning more wood interaction for the liquid in a shorter time. The high proof means this is a fiery spirit. It's almost too intense. While I enjoy barrel proof spirits, the burn here masks the coffee and toffee notes hidden within. You should definitely add water... don't hold back. With water, the intensity subsides and the flavors emerge. You can find cloves, baking spices, coffee, and malt. Thankfully. I appreciate this bottle. Like most Amrut expressions, it's unique, making it a worthwhile addition to a collection for variety. Will I repurchase? Eh, not right now.

I'm a big admirer of the standard single malt, so I tried this one. The alcohol content is significantly higher, and it's noticeable. The enjoyable fruity, malty, and spicy flavors from the original are present, but the ethanol is ramped up, diminishing some of the quality. Fortunately, you can add water, but I had difficulty replicating the balance of the standard version. Cask strength often enhances the flavor profile significantly, but I'm not experiencing that here. There's not much else to distinguish the two, so I'll stick with the classic 92 proof single malt. This cask strength Amrut is still a quality whisky, just not worth the extra cost in my opinion.....81/100

This cask-strength whisky is certainly young, but that's hard to discern while drinking. The aroma immediately brings bourbon to mind: a distinct, almost pure scent of vanilla, which slowly gains spice and is interwoven with honey. Its flavors, however, are more akin to an unpeated scotch, which is logical given that Indian whisky is exclusively made from malted barley. Honey and earthy, leafy tea, alongside a significant amount of spicy heat, characterize this dram.

The foundation of Amrut's creative endeavors. Nose: Vanilla, Oranges, Honey, Toffee, Milk Chocolate, Guava, Marshmallows, Pineapples, Papayas, Peaches, Apricots, Nectarines, Espresso Beans, Herbs, Licorice, Cinnamon Palate: Oranges, Vanilla, Pecans, Guava, Passion Fruit, Almond Joy Bar, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Bananas, Saffron, Tootsie Rolls Finish: Vanilla, Cardamom, Honey, Walnuts, Oranges, Coffee Cakes, Cinnamon, Cloves, Tootsie Rolls, Anise