The story behind this Indian single malt whisky is almost as complex as the whisky. Traditionally matured Amrut was taken after three years in ex-Bourbon barrels and placed into five specially-made casks. Each cask was originally made with a different type of wood: new American, French, and Spanish Oak, ex-Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask, and ex-Oloroso Sherry Cask. Staves from each of the five casks were removed and swapped with staves from each of the other four casks to create five unique casks, then the whisky was matured in those casks for another three and a half years before bottling.

The result: A complex whisky with a nose of raisins, figs, toffee, orange peel, espresso, and a hint of rubber cement. The taste is spicy with notes of cinnamon and curry powder, rum, butterscotch, plums, cocoa, and a slight nuttiness. The finish is long with notes of brandy and sherry, apricot, baked peaches, and a hint of cardamom. Excellent! (February, 2016)