Jade Crasto
The one thing that never seems to disappoint us is the liquor industry. Liquor lovers always have something new to try out and experiment with, thanks to the industry’s never-ending expansion. From Japanese fruit liquor to pink tequila, here’s a roundup of some of the best launches we’ve had so far!
Chivas ULTIS XX
Iconic scotch whisky brand, Chivas Regal launched ULTIS XX, a luxurious new blend of five precious 20-year-old single malts from the world-renowned whisky region of Speyside, Scotland. Crafted for a refined audience of whisky lovers, this modern rendition of the classic blend exudes contemporary luxury in both style and taste. An ode to the heritage of Chivas, ULTIS XX is a celebration of the five generations of Master Blenders behind the brand. It pays homage to them by featuring Chivas’ most precious single malts: Strathisla, Allt A’bhainne, Braeval, Longmorn, and Tormore. The flavor profile of Ultis XX also includes Chivas’ signature grain Strathclyde, which offers a softer, more enriched complexity to the five 20-year-old malts used.
Tenjaku Japanese Whiskey
Monika Alcobev has bagged the mandate for the Pan India distribution of a tasty blended Japanese whisky, Tenjaku is made with corn and barley and aged in American white oak bourbon barrels. The Japanese characters you can spot on the label translate to “Hibari”, more commonly known as the skylark. We reckon a Highball will showcase this one very well. It leaves behind the notes of Tinned pears on the palate, with banana bread and thick custard. It has two variants in whiskey which are Pure Single Malt and Blended. The Pure Malt is rich and Polished, with a slightly bitter & soft taste whereas the blended tenjaku is crisp and mild with a light mellow flavor note.
Price – INR 2,890 onwards
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Choya Japanese Liqueur
Monika Alcobev has bagged the mandate for the Pan India distribution of The CHOYA Fruit Liqueur which is known for producing the finest Umeshu (ume liqueur) in the world. It is true and authentic with the taste of modern Japan beautifully balanced with the sweet & tart taste of the ume fruit along with notes of almond from the ume pit. It currently has four variants The Choya Single Year, The Choya Extra Years, The Choya Extra Shiso, and The Choya Royal Honey. The Single year is a special blend that is crispier than the regular Ume Liqueur. It fills your taste buds with the elegant and fragrant aroma of the ume fruit. The Choya Extra Years displays an initial rich sweetness with notes of almond and marzipan which is elegantly balanced. The Choya Extra Shiso retains pleasantly bitter herbaceous motes of red shiso leaves and The Choya Royal Honey consists of mild sweetness and a pleasant honey aroma.
Price – INR 3500 onwards
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Ashanti Spiced Rum
ASHANTI is the newest rum in town and is made with fermented sugarcane honey and aged in a solera system in Guatemala and is spiced using a perfect blend of Jamaican Hibiscus flower and ginger locally produced and sourced from West Bengal. Aged 2,600m above sea level, this is where Ashanti takes its source, on the foothills of the mountain of Quetzaltenango. Ashanti Rum takes its flavors from the Jamaican hibiscus flower that brings freshness tinged with menthol and meanwhile the ginger from the roots of India gives it a character to the blend and a spicy finish with citric accents.
Price – INR 3450
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Templeton Rye
Templeton Rye is a range of whiskies from the town of Templeton in Iowa, USA that is distilled using 95% Rye and 5% malted barley. The whiskey is aged in flame-charred American Oak barrels. The whiskeys are made with a recipe from the prohibition era, that was proudly referred to as “The Good Stuff” back then. The same recipe was revived in 2006 to establish the Brand Templeton Rye to fuel the revival of the “Original American Whiskey”. Templeton Rye 6 year old is aged in extra charred barrels for a min 6 years and is bottled at 45.75% ABV. On the nose, it has elegant aromas of fruit and ginger that transcend into honey and floral notes with deep Rye spice and Oak on the palate.
Price – INR 9,800 onwards
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DeVans GianChand
DeVANS, one of the oldest producers of quality malt spirits in India, has announced the launch of its premium offering – GianChand Single Malt Whisky. Matured in a distillery that has been producing quality malt spirits since 1961, GianChand Single Malt is the most delicate Indian malt with a pineapple drop candy sweetness carried hand-in-hand by barley and a firm vanilla backbone softened by thin oils that ensure the tannin build. It has currently been launched in J&K, Ladakh, and Delhi, and is slated to be made available across at least 10 states in the very near future. GianChand Single Malt is currently available in Delhi.
Price: Rs 4,490
Goenchi Coconut & Cashew Feni
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Goenchi’s Coconut Feni is distilled in a traditional copper potstill from the nectar of coconut flowers after a slow and natural fermentation. You will get refreshing notes of tender coconut water, sea salt & green chilies, with a distinctive floral, sweet finish. Their Cashew feni is distilled from the juice of Goan Cashew Apples. The feni has notes of tropical jackfruit, pineapple, green pepper & guava cheese.
Don Julio
Don Julio’s newest release is the Don Julio Reposado tequila, is a respado, which means it has spent between two and twelve months in a barrel. The new tequila has obtained a vibrant pink hue from being aged in a wine barrel of some sort. Before distillation, the agave pinas are slow-roasted in masonry ovens and fermented with Don Julio’s special yeast. But it’s the maturation that sets this apart from other pink or rosa tequilas.
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