Amrut naarangi 50% ABV|| Batch 3|| Jun 2017
I thought it would be apt to pop open this bottle and taste.
A lovely packaging similar to double cask, kadhambam. I never liked the packaging for intermediate sherry.
Sherry casks from Spain were picked and fresh orange peels were added in the casks & left for about 2 years. Then the sherry was emptied and whisky was matured. Named as ‘naarangi’ because of this orange flashback.
Colour: Amber. Simmering gold.
Thin single leg in the glass.
Nose: Welcome to Amrut. This is no aperitif or dessert or a shy whisky. This is big, bold & intense. Grapefruit notes start with a spirity note followed by sherry notes. Humongous. Figs, betel leaves, some cloves, yellow plums. This is not soft orange candy note but a heavy malty one. After a few seconds, one would guess the distillery with its sweet, subtle honey and mild burnt barley notes. Some sultanas.
Palate: Super intense. Clinches the gums with heat and peppery notes. Very viscous (well definitely a lot more viscous than Fusion) and mouth coating. The ‘orange’ flavour is subtle but the sherry notes come out with raisins, spice (stem ginger, clove) and I don’t know if its menthol or mint but one of them at the hind palate. Swirling inside the mouth is difficult given the whisky is so viscous and almost like a solvent inside the mouth. 50% ABV worked for me. Addition of 2 drops of water leads to ‘Govindo Govindo’ meaning kills the intensity but makes it sweeter. I feel 50% is perfect ABV. So different from fusion but still I feel they are very close except for the tangy sherry notes in the naarangi. Some dry mango notes appear & disppear.
Finish: Medium with some intense prickly notes that turns into orange candy notes. Maltiness and some oak spice.
I presumed this to be a tame, soft whisky before tasting. However it is quite the opposite. This is full, intense, almost acts like turpentine on gums, and bursts with flavours. This one is more intense the ‘8yo Greedy angels’ for sure. It does become a bit rounded after some oxidation in the glass. But only just.
Whisky tasting is better if one does it with an open mind. This one is no exception. Just drop the presumptions, inhibitions and sip this whisky. This will cheer u up in a lot more ways. I would have liked it even more if its a bit more complex but then thats me.
