Amrut Spectrum (Batch 1)

Review by: The Muskox

This is the original release of Amrut Spectrum, not 004 or 005, but the OG. The name comes from the custom cask used to mature this whisky: one barrel, but made from a variety of woods.

Distillery: Amrut

Bottler: Official bottling

Region: India

ABV: 50%

Age: No age statement. Bottled in 2015.

Cask type: Initially matured for 3 years in ex-bourbon barrels, then transferred into a custom-made barrel combining staves from moderate-char virgin American oak, light toast virgin French oak, light toast virgin Spanish oak, ex-Oloroso sherry casks, and ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. 1000 bottles were produced.

Price: N/A, sample.

Color: 1.7, Burnt Umber. Natural Color. Non-Chill Filtered.

Nose: Exceedingly rich and chewy. Heady vanilla beans front and centre. Banana split with fudge sauce, brown-sugar-glazed pineapple, cocoa-dusted rum balls, and maple butter on toast. Pain au chocolat and crème caramel, if you’ll pardon my French. Broiled figs, bergamot, blackberries, and balsamic. Old varnished oak and orange oil. It gets increasingly exotic as it rests, with various fruits and spices emerging.

Palate: Thick texture. Arrives with citrus, plums, cocoa powder, and brown sugar. Some rich floral honey and candied nuts. Succulent dark malt, vanilla, and spicy wood on the development, then lemon peel, bergamot, and clove. Cinnamon-spiced coffee cake, toasted walnuts, and smoky tobacco. Toasted coconut and lemongrass. Dark dried fruit hiding in there.

Finish: Long and complex. Massive mango and passionfruit explosion. Cocoa powder, cinnamon babka, peanut butter & raspberry jam sandwich on soft challah. Rich spiced oak, honeycomb, a hint of malty bitterness. Lingering mango pudding, bergamot, and butterscotch. Just keeps going.

Possible SMWS bottling name: “King of the Jungle”

Conclusion: Holy fuck. I knew this would be good, but… it’s not every day that a whisky makes your eyes widen and jaw drop when you take the first sip. You could pour this blind and say it was a 30-year-old scotch, and nobody would question you. Many have made comparisons between this whisky and Kavalan Solists, but I don’t think that does this Amrut justice. It’s superlatively rich and decadent, but surprisingly balanced all things considered, with some of the character of the spirit still coming through under all the cask influence. That finish is absolutely incredible, with that sudden blast of tropical fruit… the only thing I can think of that has a finish like this is, well, Arran Brodick Bay. This actually reminds me of Brodick Bay quite a lot: it’s similarly right up my alley in terms of flavour profile, but this is richer and darker, maybe trading in the “summer sunshine” flavour for something more “autumn twilight”. Could it possibly be better than Brodick Bay? I’m not sure I’m ready to pour my last 15 mLs of Brodick Bay to find out. This is at least as good. Holy fuck.

Final Score: 95.

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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