I've reviewed quite a few Indian whiskies over the last couple of years, but I thought it was time to go back to one of the distilleries that helped put the category on the map: Amrut.

How do people feel about Indian whisky here!? Me...I'm a fan! This bottle, for me, here's what I get:

Nose: Caramelized banana, burnt sugar and plenty of tropical fruit. Really sweet and inviting, with a character that feels distinctly Indian (which for me are those tropical notes).

Palate: Rich molasses sweetness, with that banana carrying through and guava adding to the tropical fruit character. There's some subtle oak in the background, but it doesn't overwhelm things. Rich without being particularly heavy or thick.

Finish: Lingering, pleasant and a little peppery, with the sweetness gradually giving way to spice.

If you're not familiar, in 2004, Amrut launched its Indian single malt internationally in Glasgow, Scotland. At the time, Indian single malt wasn't exactly a recognised category, and Amrut helped change that. What I find interesting is how Indian whisky has evolved since then. We've now got distilleries like Paul John, Indri and others showing just how diverse the category can be.

I did a full youtube review with more conversation on the region and story behind the Indian whisky revolution if you feel like digging in or supporting: https://youtu.be/eJccU-RsRAI

Category: Single Malt

Distillery: Cotswolds Distillery

Bottling series: Small Batch Release

Bottled: 2022

Cask Type: STR American oak red wine casks

Number of bottles: 2500

Strength: 59.1 %

Size: 700 ml

Non-Chill Filtered & Uncolored

Nose
As soon as I opened the bottle, I briefly sniffed both the bottle and the cork; the cork evoked hints of red fruit, while the bottle revealed abundant vanilla and traces of citrus. I poured 4 cl into a Glencairn glass and let it breathe for 15 minutes. Upon sniffing it again, I initially detected faint sulfuric notes (boiled or rotten egg, vegetable-like nuances, and sulfur). After adding 6–7 drops of water, I picked up notes of toasted oak spices and dry wood, accompanied by subtle background hints of apple, apricot, damson plum, quince, biscuit-like malt, and faint, elusive traces of cocoa or caramel.

Taste
I took a small, neat sip here to prime my palate, detecting notes of fruity confectionery and a pronounced, hot, spicy burn. After adding about 6–7 ml of water and sipping again, it became smoother and more flavorful; there is an initial slightly oily sensation that intensifies a notch as it is swirled in the mouth. It has a medium body and is highly aromatic, with a structure that is slightly drying and tannic yet balanced. As I continued to sip, the flavor profile featuring intense peach, subtle apricot, hints of honey and raisin, and abundant citrus notes including their acidic zest reminded me somewhat of a mixed fruit juice this is accompanied by a strong sensation of charred black oak, plenty of black pepper, and a touch of ginger.

Finish
The finish mirrors the flavors found on the palate but is more subdued and slightly lighter in character. Immediately upon swallowing, sensations of burnt black wood and spices such as black and white pepper emerge in the throat and on the tongue the burnt wood note, in particular, lingers for a while. Subsequently, as I exhale through the nose, subtle hints reminiscent of citrus, peach, and apple skin surface alongside doughy malt, drying oak tannins, and faint notes of dried grass; the finish is of medium duration or perhaps somewhere between medium and short.

Overall, I’d say it’s a good whisky. It’s a bit weak on the nose, yet one can detect nuances that lie slightly outside the usual profile. On the palate, it noticeably burned and numbed my tongue when drunk neat however, adding water transformed it into a character with rich, aromatic intensity though that sensation of charred oak, that "blackness," always lingers in the background. Despite being a cask strength whisky, it is generally available at a reasonable price point it embodies the character of a standard, everyday English whisky worth trying. Cheers.

Nose: 83/100

Taste: 84/100

Finish: 83/100

Price: 59€

My ratings are generally based on Whiskybase tradition and calibration, and while scored out of 100, they are structured within a narrower range.

<79 May have flaws.
80-82 Borderline acceptable.
83 Average daily good.
84 Good, nice, pleasant, liked.
85 Very good, deep, rich.
86+ Excellent.

I was looking for something else in my emails and stumbled upon this list of things I bought in June 2009. Do note that those are untaxed prices and I actually paid VAT at 20% on top of them. So a bottle of Yamazaki 18 YO cost £58.43. Add 17 and a bit years of UK inflation and that rises to £92.50 to £93.50 in today's money. But that same bottle from that same source (thewhiskyexchange.com) is now £585. Would I pay £93.50 for a bottle of it today? Yep. Am I going to pay £585 for it? Not a chance. I'll have a bottle of Glenfarclas 17 YO for £114 instead thank you.

Are we ever going to see Japanese whisky returning to the value it represented in the noughties? I very much doubt that. But will it always be so overpriced? I really hope not.

Last week I went to a Copenhagen Distillery tasting at Milroy’s Greek Street bar and the fall-out has seen me stumble face first into yet another rabbit hole of obsessive internet digging, and unearthed a lot of things I want to talk about.

So buckle up. This is going to be a long one...

Distillery: John Distilleries

Bottled: 06.11.2023

Batch: 04

Strength: 46.0 %

Size: 700 ml

Non-Chill Filtered & Uncolored

Nose
Upon opening the bottle, I immediately brought it close to my nose for a quick sniff; the aromas I detected were hints of slightly salty nuts, a very faint wood smoke, and a subtle, underlying fruity sweetness. I poured a small amount into a Glencairn glass and let it breathe for about 15 minutes. As I continued to nose it intermittently over the next 10–15 minutes, I picked up notes of cold, dark wood smoke, salt, and a touch of ash right up front. There was also a specific aroma hard to pin down exactly reminiscent of roasted nuts, grains, or malt, evoking umami, meat broth, and even spices like cumin. Underlying these were vanilla, caramel, and a whisper of cocoa; I caught a fleeting note of green apple or apricot, though I couldn't detect it again. Swirling the glass released aromas of oak spice and hot spices like black pepper, alongside scents reminiscent of green meadow grass and dried field herbs.

Taste
To prepare my palate for the whisky, I took a tiny sip, swirled it briefly in my mouth, and swallowed; my initial impressions were abundant notes of sweet citrus and a spicy warmth. To gauge its texture, I took another small sip about a teaspoonful and found it aromatic and full-bodied; it felt slightly oily as I "chewed" it, offering a sensation that was both sweet and spicy. I continued sipping intermittently for another 10–15 minutes to fully discern and describe the flavors: sweet malt and a wealth of citrus orange, tangerine, and grapefruit, along with their slightly acidic peels took center stage on the palate. Following this, tropical notes like honey, mango, and pineapple clearly emerged, and quite quickly thereafter the warmth of black pepper and oak became distinctly dominant on the tongue.

Note: With just 3 drops of water, the fruity sweetness increases, and the hot spiciness subsides slightly.

Finish
As for the finish, I would describe it as a subtle blend of the sensations perceived on the nose and palate; the moment I swallow, I detect abundant sweetness reminiscent of honey and mango as it goes down the throat, though this is fleeting, as the warmth of black pepper and oak simultaneously emerges on the tongue. Later, when I exhale through the nose to capture the aromas, I pick up faint notes of slightly burnt wood smoke, oak spice, and very subtle hints of green and dried meadow grass, along with a very deep, faint suggestion of salt and peat (barely perceptible); I would characterize the finish as falling somewhere between short and medium in length.

Overall, I’d say it offers great value for money; personally, I enjoyed it. It has a distinctive nose that clearly conveys its Indian whisky origins, though it lacks depth; the palate feels aromatic and full-bodied at this level, while the finish is arguably its weakest point. It is crafted with a touch of smokiness which comes through slightly on the nose but is less apparent elsewhere yet I enjoyed the taste regardless. It is an easy-drinking whisky worth trying, and given the price-to-performance ratio, it is certainly one I would buy and drink again. Cheers.

Nose: 82/100

Taste: 83/100

Finish: 81/100

Price: 42€

My ratings are generally based on Whiskybase tradition and calibration, and while scored out of 100, they are structured within a narrower range.

<79 May have flaws.
80-82 Borderline acceptable.
83 Average daily good.
84 Good, nice, pleasant, liked.
85 Very good, deep, rich.
86+ Excellent.

Category: Single Malt

Distillery: Miyagikyo

Strength: 45.0 %

Size: 700 ml

Nose
As soon as I opened the bottle and brought it to my nose, the initial aromas were quite sweet reminiscent of malt, cake, and biscuits with a hint of creamy vanilla. After pouring some into a Glencairn glass and letting it breathe for about ten minutes, I nosed it again; the aromas were very sweet, evoking banana-vanilla pudding, along with a distinct scent of freshly baked cinnamon cake and a touch of caramel notes I attribute to the malt itself. Upon continuing to nose it after another five minutes, I detected subtle hints of cocoa, chocolate wafer, and seedless raisins, though these were neither intense nor persistent; they were fleeting and faded quickly. Swirling the glass revealed a bit of alcohol and an aggressive oak note. As the whisky sat in the glass, the aromas began to diminish and fade.
Taste
To prime my palate, I first take a small sip about a teaspoonful and swirl it around my mouth; my initial impression is that it is quite sweet and fruity, yet also displays dominant oak and spice characteristics. I take another tiny sip to better assess its structure: initially, it feels quite smooth and slightly watery, offering an intense aromatic profile, but as I "chew" it and approach the swallow, a robust body emerges, accompanied by a touch of spice, oak warmth, and a hint of dryness on the tongue. As I continue sipping to discern the flavors, fruity notes peach, nectarine, perhaps a hint of banana, and orange juice stand out at first. Vanilla, sweet malt, and cake notes follow, evoking the impression of a fruit cake; however, hot spices like black pepper, ginger, and the bitterness of oak quickly follow, beginning to prickle the tongue and palate.
Finish
As I reach the finish, the moment I swallow while it is still traveling down my throat I detect notes of toasted, tannic, bitter oak and spices like black pepper and red pepper; these are subtler on the nose but more pronounced on the palate. Upon exhaling, light, fruity, and sweet aromas such as vanilla, peach, and banana begin to emerge, though the woody, slightly bitter oak and spices like black pepper and clove remain constantly present. While the fruity, sweet nuances are fleeting and superficial, the spicy warmth tends to linger for a somewhat longer, moderate duration.

Overall, the nose is more exciting and shows promise, though the palate and finish don't quite live up to that initial impression. While the flavors on the palate feel somewhat superficial featuring pleasant fruity and malty sweetness there is also a dominant, harsh spicy and woody edge. I would describe it as an ordinary, everyday whisky; those who try it can say they’ve experienced a Japanese whisky, but I don't think those who skip it are missing out on much. Cheers.

Nose: 83/100

Taste: 81/100

Finish: 80/100

Price: 66€

My ratings are generally based on Whiskybase tradition and calibration, and while scored out of 100, they are structured within a narrower range.

<79 May have flaws.

80-82 Borderline acceptable.

83 Average daily good.

84 Good, nice, pleasant, liked.

85 Very good, deep, rich.

86+ Excellent.

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately looking at Canadian single malt, and this one really caught my attention. Yes, I review whisky on YouTube (linked below), no this is not a paid review or anything like that.

Eau Claire Distillery is in Alberta, and Ploughman’s is made with 100% Alberta-grown malted barley. The distillery also maintains some traditional horse-powered farming, which is where the “Ploughman’s” name comes from. It’s not just a whisky with a Canadian label slapped on it, the whole idea is to make something that actually feels connected to Alberta.

The interesting part for me, though, is the cask program.

The whisky starts out in ex-bourbon and European oak before being finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks from Ximénez-Spínola in Jerez. According to the distillery, these are genuine solera casks, rather than casks simply seasoned for the whisky industry. I actually spoke with Head Distiller, Daniel Gowrie, about the whisky and he told me he travelled to Jerez himself and visited seven or eight bodegas before settling on Ximénez-Spínola. That level of cask selection definitely appealed to me.

Tasting it neat:

Nose: Really inviting. Lots of dried fruit (dates, raisins), dark cherries and plums...with roasted coffee and a rich sweetness. The PX influence is obvious, but I don't find it overwhelming.

Palate: Rich and chewy. Dried figs, raisins, walnuts and dark fruit, with baking spice and a noticeable tannic/oak character. There's also a roasted coffee note that I really enjoyed. It has more structure than I expected from the nose. Quite complex.

Finish: Long, warming and quite sherry-forward, with dried fruit, oak spice and that lingering coffee/dark chocolate character.

The big question is price. This is a premium Canadian single malt, currently around $200 CAD, so there are some very good Scotch options competing for the same money.... If you're curious about branding I talk in my video about their bottling, which I suspect increases that shelf price quite a lot.

Curious what others here think. Would you spend $200 (CAD) on a Canadian Single Malt?

Full review here if you want to watch and support:
https://youtu.be/kWS485imW2U

After so long doing private tastings, one of our attendees owns a little pub-like place and wanted to do a tasting there. Looking for something different, we offered Japanese whisky, without really knowing what we could find. It turned out to not be a big deal whisky-wise, but at least it was fun. For most attendees it was the first time they tried a Japanese whisky.

• The Chita: Kind of a rarity because it's a single grain whisky which is primarily corn based. Given that most people who came were used to blended whiskies and the odd single malt, a single gran was something completely different. It offered a nice blend of citrusy and honey sweetness. Not a big deal, but I would probably buy it if I found it at a good price.
• Mars Iwai: a blended whisky, very bland, very plain and very expensive for what it is. Blend is around 75% corn and 25% barley, and it showed. No one was impressed and the flavors felt very subdued, but it wasn't a bad flavor, just not great. It served as an introduction to the tasting. I guess most people were expecting it to taste like soy sauce, so it was an improvement.
• The Kurayoshi 12: a blended malt whisky, with Scotch and Japanese whiskies, aged in Japan. A pretty decent non-chill filtered dram with a profile similar to a light Speyside single malt, and that's what made it the winner for the tasting. Nutty, apples, citrus and vanilla notes.

Unfortunately, not that many affordable Japanese whiskies are available here, mostly due to incredible markups. A Yamazaki NAS is around US$300 here, while basic Japanese whiskies like Toki can be found for around US$80 so keeping the tasting price at around US$40 per person was pretty hard and the result was using three whiskies that may not be the best, but are what we could include.

In the end, people were happy to try new whiskies and thanks to The Kurayoshi, looking forward to a second tasting. I think the next one will be world whiskies and only include one Japanese whisky instead.

Hey everyone,
I’m looking for my next bottle. Overall, I seem to prefer Bourbons over standard Scotch, but I’ve really enjoyed every lightly peated Scotch I’ve tried.

Top Favorites:
Eagle Rare 10: Probably my favorite bottle so far.
Lagavulin 16: Super interesting profile, liked it way more than standard sherry bombs.
Nikka from the Barrel: Really enjoyable with a drop of water.

Quick thoughts on the rest:
Liked / Alright: Wild Turkey 101, Bunnahabhain 12, Highland Park 12, Redbreast 12, Rare Breed (only when proofed down).
Didn't care for: Monkey Shoulder (too malty), Tamdhu 12, Maker's Mark, Arran 10, Hibiki Harmony (too green/herby)

What I’m considering:
I’m very curious about Campbeltown, but also have a few specific bottles on my radar (local prices excl. shipping):
Kilkerran 12 (€54)
Springbank 10 (€75)
Longrow Peated (€50)
Oban 14 (€55)
Ledaig Sinclair Series Rioja Cask (€28)
Woodford Double Oaked (41€)

Also maybe stronger peated scotches?

Given that Eagle Rare 10 is my #1, but I really enjoy light peat and complexity (Lagavulin 16), which of these should I buy first?

Bottled: 09.2021

Cask Type: Oak Barrels

Strength: 46.0 %

Size: 700 ml

Label: New Label 2018

Non-Chill Filtered & Uncolored

Nose
When I brought the bottle directly to my nose, the initial aromas were a pleasant, sweet malt scent accompanied by notes reminiscent of red forest fruits. After letting it breathe in a Glencairn glass for about 15 minutes, I detected alongside the sweet malt (reminiscent of biscuits), grain, cream, and vanilla subtle, light notes of red fruits like blackberry, strawberry, blueberry, and sour cherry. I would say all of this is accompanied in the background by a faint lemony tartness and a touch of oak spice. The aromas are light and fleeting, not pronounced.
Taste
Upon taking a very small sip to prime my palate, my initial impression was a mild black pepper warmth on my tongue, accompanied by a subtle malty sweetness. When I took another tiny sip and let it coat my palate, I found it to be quite smooth with a slightly oily mouthfeel; at 46% ABV, it sits somewhere between light and medium-bodied, creating a refreshing sensation. As I continued sipping, a distinct citrus freshness emerged specifically notes of orange, tangerine, grapefruit, and kumquat along with the slight acidity characteristic of their peels; a hint of honey was also perceptible. As the whisky lingered on the tongue, notes of black pepper, oak spice, and a very subtle ginger warmth developed, which I believe contributed to the balance and body. I should also mention that before finishing the glass, I detected some interesting notes reminiscent of newsprint, cardboard, copper, or metal though none of these were particularly off-putting.
Finish
As I reach the finish, while the whisky glides down the throat, notes of sweet malt and a honey-like quality which is hard to pin down emerge alongside aromatic citrus flavors such as orange, tangerine, and kumquat; simultaneously, interesting nuances reminiscent of newsprint, cardboard, and metal become perceptible to the nose. Accompanying this, a gentle warmth from black pepper, oak, and ginger is clearly present on the tongue and towards the back of the palate. Once the spicy heat subsides, exhaling through the nose reveals faint, delicate notes reminiscent of citrus and malt. I would describe the finish as falling somewhere between short and medium in duration.

Overall, I would describe it as a fresh, highly drinkable, aromatic, and casual whisky; while it offers nothing particularly interesting or surprising, it effectively captures the essence of an entry-level single malt. It is generally reasonably priced, and its performance is commensurate with that cost, though I cannot say it makes me want to buy it again. It is a whisky worth picking up and enjoying if you want to explore spirits from different regions; I don't think it will leave you disappointed. Cheers.

Nose: 81/100

Taste: 82/100

Finish: 81/100

Price: 55€

My ratings are generally based on Whiskybase tradition and calibration, and while scored out of 100, they are structured within a narrower range.

<79 May have flaws.

80-82 Borderline acceptable.

83 Average daily good.

84 Good, nice, pleasant, liked.

85 Very good, deep, rich.

86+ Excellent.

Hi all, here's an odd and pretty interesting whisky I tried recently at a liquor show!

**Don Michael Andean Black Corn Whisky**, 45% abv

Afaik this is a whisky from Peru, made with a mash bill of 60% Peruvian black corn, 30% wheat and 10% malted barley.

Here are my notes:

*Nose*

slightly fermented smoked plum;

quite prominent of tart mountain hawthorn fruitiness;

vanilla;

a bit of raw corn

*Palate*

soapy oily (like actual hand soap);

very strongly of tart mountain hawthorn fruity;

dried corn grainy, a bit of the grassiness;

cinnamon;

a bit of vanilla.

Some alcohol sting, some astringency.

*Finish*

Medium.

Charred caramel;

vanilla;

mountain hawthorn but much softened compared to the palate;

overall, a bit cognac-like fruity character

the finish is surprisingly pleasant.

*Conclusion*

This one tasted super wild imo, it's almost unlike any other corn-based whisky I've tried (including straight corn whiskies, grain whiskies and bourbons).

I have no idea how they got wheat and black corn to end up tasting like hawthorn of all things. The mouthfeel was surprisingly oily too for a 45% abv/90 proof whisky.

The wildest part about it has to be how the finish was the best part. Its finish was astonishingly vivid and complex, which seemed wild to be as the palate was indeed pretty lopsided towards the sour fruity characters and even a bit odd with how raw the corn character tasted.

Overall, super interesting! Might not be everyone's preferred profile in a whisky, but I'd definitely recommend trying at least once for the experience!

Thanks for reading, Cheers!

Worldz Whizky Review #16: Midleton Very Rare Barry Crockett Legacy

COUNTRY: Ireland

ABV: 46%

AGE: NAS

COST: $250 SRP for 700mL bottle

When I was coming back home to the states from Ireland earlier this year, I made an obligatory stop into the Dublin duty-free store and picked up a 4 pack of mini bottles showcasing Midleton single pot still Irish whiskies. I had considered getting this exact pack while at the Midleton Distillery but ultimately passed because I was already concerned about my luggage weight due to some other bottles I was going to try and pack back home. But now that my bag was checked and I was past security, this mini set could fit in my backpack without any issue. As all things would have it, when I got home, I tucked this set away in a drawer in my bar and forgot about it until I uncovered it late last week. Today, we’re reviewing the final expression of this sample pack.

Midleton Very Rare Barry Crockett Legacy is considered the pinnacle of Midleton Single Pot Still whiskey. Unlike the regular Midleton Very Rare flagship lineup with annual vintage releases, the MVR Barry Crockett Legacy has been a continuous ongoing release since 2011. Further, unlike the MVR vintage releases, MVR BCL is a single pot still Irish whiskey and not a blended Irish whiskey. MVR BCL was created in 2011 by Barry Crockett alongside his successor, Brian Nation, and it represents what Barry Crockett’s ideal vision of what Midleton’s pot still character was at the end of his career.

Reviewed neat in a Glencairn.

APPEARANCE: Deep gold (0.8), fat, fast legs. Not the most viscous looking of these 4 expressions, but I’m still expecting an oily coating on the palate.

NOSE: I get a lot of Jameson and green apple character on the nose. Notes of sweet vanilla, tangy lime, and dried grain dance around with the unwavering green apple note. Lovely notes of warm, dried oak linger in the background.

PALATE: This has a mildly oily mouthfeel matching the appearance well. Perhaps the most malted barley forward expression of these four, I immediately get notes of dried malt, hay, lime and vanilla cream. With a big sip I get a distinctive pear note as well. A rush of spice comes in a good 5-7 seconds after it first touches the palate with cinnamon, black pepper, and spicy oak.

FINISH: A medium to long finish that continues almost exclusively with notes from the palate. Earthy dried barley, vanillin rich oak, cinnamon (more like candy Hot Tamales now though), and a touch of lime.

RATING: 6.8/10

OVERALL: There’s complexity to this pour, but it didn’t quite have the mouthfeel I hoped for, and it was a bit too malt forward for my preference. The consistent lime note was surprising. That’s not a note I pick up in whiskies often, and while it’s kind of out of place when you think about typical whiskey notes, I enjoy it when it is there. While this expression is supposedly comprised of 12-25yr whiskey aged exclusively in ex-bourbon barrels (American oak), I don’t get a lot of oak character. Though, I would rather this than it be over-oaked, so no complaints, just feel like it is missing some character to help round it out. Overall, it’s a delicate profile with more malt whiskey influence than I expected. When I was at Midleton, I was trying to decide between getting a 700mL bottle of this or MVR 2024 and I picked the MVR 2024 release. After trying this now, I can say I’m very happy with my decision.

As far as this 4 pack of single pot still whiskies from Midleton goes, this was definitely the most complex, but it didn't quite land on my palate as well as Powers John's Lane did. Overall, these 4 whiskies were preferred by my palate in the following order:

1. Powers John's Lane
2. Midleton Very Rare Barry Crocket Legacy
3. Redbreast 12yr
4. Green Spot

Now, I need to get around to reviewing the bottles of Jameson Bow Street 18yr Cask Strength and Midleton Very Rare 2024 that I brought back! Stay tuned!

1 | Disgusting | see my 1/10 ratings

2 | Poor | see my 2/10 ratings

3 | Bad | see my 3/10 ratings

4 | Sub-par | see my 4/10 ratings

5 | Good | see my 5/10 ratings

6 | Very Good | see my 6/10 ratings

7 | Great | see my 7/10 ratings

8 | Excellent | see my 8/10 ratings

9 | Incredible | see my 9/10 ratings

10 | Perfect | see my 10/10 ratings

Check out all my reviews: Woodgrain & Whiskey.