Does India know how to make whisky?

I think it's safe to say that I have never tasted an Amrut that I didn't like, and I've tried at least 10 different expressions. The Single Malt is the best entry level expression I've ever had. I think I would prefer the cask strength to it though.

If you can I would recommend a single cask bourbon maturation. Usually less than 5 years old but with a complexity unheard of in teenage scotches. And of course, the other CS options are all excellent.

Undoubtedly the Indians are now producing fantastic whisky. I have the Amrut CS, peated CS, Intermediate Sherry Cask, Portnova and several individual bottles of the bourbon cask. It does taste different to Scottish whisky but I feel that is a good thing, it's almost like their whisky has been infused with regional spices.What I believe Amrut absolutely excel at is their ability to source the finest casks available in which to age the whisky.and this is something that many Scottish distilleries can learn from.

I have also found several of the Paul John whiskies to be quite enjoyable too. Perhaps not quite up to Amrut standards, but making great strides. With time, who knows how Paul John whiskies will be.

Member Frost also made reference to the Paul John line of whiskies recently in another discussion thread. He particularly was impressed with the Select Cask Classic Cask Strength & Peated Cask Strength whiskies.

@maltmate302 How much water, if any, do you CS aficionados add when enjoying a high strength single malt?

@Newkophile what I normally do is have some of the dram neat and then I'll bring it down to between 50%-55% which is generally about my favourite drinking strength.

@Newkophile

I think it depends on the individual expression. With A'Bunadh I often have little or no water, with Amrut I add none to Fusion (it's been a while, hard to remember), and only a few drops to Portonova or IS.

In contrast, Redbreast 12 CS can take quite a bit of water.

@cherylnifer thank you for bringing Paul John to the topic. I'm a fan, I recently tried their 5 core bottlings, of which two are cask strength, and a single cask as well. I really enjoyed them all and had to get some for myself.

I also like Amrut, the Fusion is something great.

There is some very good Indian whisky, amrut and Paul John to mention but two.. Paul John is releasing some very good examples these days, the classic select cask and some of the single casks are exceptional..

@sorren , are there any others?

My impression is that those are the only two outfits producing actual whisky, and that other distilleries in India make some sort of molasses junk that they label (domestically, at least) as "whisky."