Amrut 4-Way Review – Intermediate Sherry, Single Cask PX for SAQ, Spectrum, Single Cask Virgin Oak.
A bit of a rush review, trying to get this out before 2016 ends!
Amrut Intermediate Sherry
“The spirit for Intermediate Sherry Matured starts life in a mix of ex-bourbon and virgin oak casks. It is then transferred to sherry casks for a period before going back into bourbon casks to complete its maturation.”
Region: India
ABV: 50%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Container: Glencairn Neat
Colour: Gold
Nose: Typical sherry nose, not too intense, with sharp ethanol. Malt, oak, honey, orange peel, sweet red berries, sherry spice, touch of vanilla and light fruits notes.
Palate: Amrut malt, oak, cinnamon, pepper, minty/herbal-ish spice, ginger, red berries, touch of vanilla and light fruits.
Finish: Medium-long finish, malt, oak, red fruits, pepper, warming spices.
Score: 85/100
Quite decent, also quite young, I think the bourbon cask notes gives me the sense of youthfulness. Some interesting notes on the palate, rather “tamed” for a CS Amrut.
Amrut Spectrum
“A first in the world of whisky, aged initially for three years in bourbon barrels, Amrut Spectrum was finished for a further three-and-a-half years in a unique cask. Made with staves from a combination of five different types of wood: new oak from America, France and Spain, along with ex-oloroso- and ex-Pedro-Ximenez sherry.”
Region: India
ABV: 50%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Container: Glencairn Neat
Colour: Amber
Nose: Very pleasant nose, lots of sweet red fruits, dried plums, cherries, raisins, strawberries! Red fruit festival! Accompanied by chocolate, molasses, touch of caramel and oak. Touch of herbal/metallic note, very light.
Palate: Stewed red fruits, herbal note, oak, some tropical fruits, apples too. Leather, nutmeg, cacao, cinnamon, and some nutty notes.
Spicy on the entry and near the finish, lots of red fruits and some tropical fruits kicked in, perhaps the “blended barrel” is working it’s magic! Getting the sweetness of PX and the spiciness of Oloroso sherry cask!
Finish: Long finish, lingering spices, chocolate, touch of bitter oak, pepper, and caramel sweetness.
Score: 91/100
Running low on time! Very complex dram! Very well defined and layered, more and more notes comes out as you go, it’s like a classical music piece!
Amrut Single Cask #3516 PX for SAQ Bottle 030/090
Bottled for SAQ, in Quebec, Canada.
Region: India
ABV: 62.8%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type: PX-Sherry
Container: Glencairn Neat
Colour: Gold-0.5
Nose: Pleasant sherry bomb nose, stewed red fruits, oak, touch of caramel, orange peel, sherry spice, tobacco.
Palate: More of the stewed red fruits, malt, along with raisings, dried dates, vanilla, pepper, oak, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a touch of herbal note.
Finish: Lingering finish, cinnamon, pepper, touch of bitter oak, red fruits, cacao.
Score: 88/100
Very well balanced dram, lots going on, running low on time, gets some nice sweetness from the PX along with good amount of spiciness to balance it out. Touch of bitterness in the very end, didn’t bother me much.
Amrut Peated Single Cask #891 Virgin Oak for KWM – 1 of 96 Bottles
Bottled for Kensington Wine Market in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Region: India
ABV: 60%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Container: Glencairn Neat
Colour: Mahogany
Nose: Strong caramel, vanilla, oak; Along with sweet berries and oak spice.
Very powerful nose, aged for over 6 years in virgin oak, not so much in terms of complexity but the notes are bold.
Palate: Dry, strong oak on the plate, pepper, caramel, bitter oak, malt, tannic, pepper.
Lots and lots of oak influence, dry and tannic on the palate, sucks the water out of your mouth.
Finish: Long finish, lingering malt and oak spice.
Score: 87/100
Really powerful and bold, would’ve been a 90 if it wasn’t so dry and the strong bitter oak didn’t kick it. But it was to be expected for aging in such a hot climate for 6+ years.
Spectrum > SC PX > Virgin Butt > Intermediate Sherry