Review by: Raygun

Not had the pleasure of the original Spectrum, which I’ve heard great things about. Seems this one isn’t too shabby either, if not quite the level of the original. We’ll see. Initially matured in ex-bourbon and then custom casks made with four different stave types: American oak, slightly toasted French oak, ex-oloroso, and ex-PX. Quite a combination. Reviewed from a sample.

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Distillery: Amrut

Bottler: Amrut

Region/style: Indian single malt whisky

ABV: 50%

Age: Unknown

Cask type: Custom

Color: 1.8 old oak. Probably natural Color. Probably non-chill-filtered.

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Nose: Whew. Intense hit of sherry. Raisin and dried cherry from the PX. Prune, blueberry, and mocha I attribute to the oloroso, and maybe the French oak is contributing as well.

Palate: Nice kind of spice here, with cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Bay leaf as well. Intense dried fruit and mocha, with dark chocolate. Some orange zest creeps in, hoisin sauce, and Assam tea. This is the most Kavalan-y thing I’ve had that wasn’t from Kavalan.

Finish: I might be tasting this tomorrow. This finish sticks. Not excessively sweet, but the dark chocolate, espresso, and dried fruit do not let up. A bit like mole, that sort of combination. Nice creaminess along with the spices. Like a spiced chocolate pudding.

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Conclusion: This was a trip. The kind of thing I suspect I would have liked even more a few years ago. Now I’m slightly less enamored with this very cask-driven style, though there’s no question this is an excellent example. The spice flavor takes it up a notch for sure. The complexity is better than most such expressions, which I think is helped by the French oak (I can’t say I noticed the American oak that much). Up there with my favorite Amruts, and I’m very curious about the original Spectrum, which I hear is even better.

Buy a bottle? $200+. Maaaybeee.

Final Score: 87

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky. (Convalmore 36)
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Kavalan Solist Manzanilla)
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique)
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Green Spot Chateau Leoville Barton)
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Amrut Peated CS)
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Taketsuru Pure Malt)
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve)
• 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Bushmills 10 Malt)
• 0-49: Blech. (Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16)