Indian single malts to look out for

Schenelle Dsouza

Like Indian wine, single malts too have created a small but memorable niche for themselves. And these aren’t just limited to the domestic industry. Indian single malts have made a global impact, especially brands such as Amrut and Peter John. These brands have made their presence felt in the Indian whisky industry for the longest, getting the label of premium Indian single malts.  

However, since then, experimentations with single malts in India has grown with newer brands like Rampur, Kamet, Peter Scot, etc coming into the spotlight. Indian single malts are said to be the quite like Scotch whiskey, the only difference being that they are produced and aged in India. Here are some of the popular Indian single malts to try out if you enjoy a good Scotch.   

Amrut Fusion

Produced by Bengaluru based Amrut Distilleries, Amrut Fusion is an award-winning single malt and one of the most popular whiskies in India.  The whisky is made with a combination of unpeated Indian and peated Scottish Barley and has oak-y citrus and chocolate-vanilla flavour notes.  

Indri

Indri is India’s newest award-winning single malt distilled in a village named Indri in Haryana. It is a unique blend that is produced in three different wooden barrels: ex-bourbon, ex-wine, and PX sherry casks, the only Indian single malt to be produced this way. The whiskey has sweet flavour notes from vanilla and pineapple as well as a rich black tea aroma with a spicy undertone.  

Kamet 

Another fruity-floral flavoured whisky, Kamet is produced by Peak Spirits India. Even though it is named after Mt. Kamet in Uttarakhand, the whisky is distilled near Kurukshetra in Haryana. This single malt like Indri is unique because it is matured in three different casks: ex-bourbon American Oak, ex-red wine French Oak and PX and Olorosso ex-sherry casks. Kamet uses six row barley which gives it a grainier taste, along with chocolate, vanilla, caramel and spiced notes.  

Paul John Bold 

One of India’s best-selling whiskies, Paul John Whisky is produced in the holiday capital of India, Goa. Created by Michael John, Paul John Bold is crafted with Barley sourced from Rajasthan. The single malt begins with a sweet oat honey and smoked mocha flavour which delves into a spiced peaty soot aroma.  

Peter Scot Black

Peter Scot is one of the few Indian whiskey brands that offers a range in its whiskies, from budgeted blends to premium single malts. Their most popular variant however is the Peter Scot Black introduced in 2019. At the time, the single malt was released only in Goa, Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Daman, and Silvassa. It has a nutty almond flavour with hints of vanilla, butterscotch and orange, leaving behind a spiced, peaty smokiness.  

Rampur Select

Rampur Whisky comes from one of India’s oldest distilleries – Radico Khaitan, previously Rampur Distillery in Uttar Pradesh. The single malt is aged in ex-bourbon barrels which add a rich oakiness mixed with a fruity flavour. Unlike most Indian single malts, Rampur Select has a fruity aroma which comes from dried fruits like apricot and apple, along with sweet rich notes of honey, toffee, and vanilla.  

Solan Number One

Solan Number One is one of India’s oldest and most popular single malts. It is distilled in India’s oldest Kasauli Distillery which is owned by Mohan Meakin, the genius behind India’s favourite Old Monk Rum. Made in the early 1800s, Solan Number One has a rich spiced flavour from cinnamon and black pepper, which moves into a sweet citrusy aftertaste. 

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