Bold⁠
Paul John ⁠
India ⁠
46%⁠
Mash bill: Peated barley ⁠
Barrels used: Primarily ex-bourbon ⁠

⁠I’m sure that when we think of India, whisky production is not the first thing that comes to mind, however today’s dram may change that for you! Paul John himself started under his own name in 1996 with the mission to create the Great Indian Single Malt for the world to enjoy. ⁠

⁠Using six row barley sourced from across the vast lands of Rajasthan and Haryana to the foothills of the Himalayas with a high fibre and protein content, this barley offers a distinct and bold depth of character to the spirit. The more proteins and tannins in the barley, the more fatty acids that add to the whisky’s robust character. They had copper pot-stills custom-made that were specially designed with long necks to create fruitier spirits. Double-distillation in these pot-stills provide longer contact with the copper rendering a distinct full-bodied flavour to the new-make spirit. ⁠

⁠In this peated expression, peat was brought over from Islay to Goa for drying. Barrels are aged in an underground climate controlled warehouse. The hot tropical climate of Goa accelerates barrel breathing, and the angel's share is about 10-12% per year (compared with 2-3% in Scotland). ⁠

⁠Tasting notes: The peat in this is no joke! On the nose and palate, Bold was truly the right choice to name this dram. There’s a raw honey nature to it, giving a creamy mouthfeel combined with an oily dank finish that’s still light enough to warrant some sweeter notes, almost butterscotch like. The peat is present from nose to palate to finish in a most delightful way. ⁠

⁠What do you think?