Paul John Oloroso & PX Select Reviews

Hi everyone,

Paul John seems to have gone from strength to strength with its special editions and they’ve come out with two new ones that are a bit more heavily Sherried than their normal stuff, which I was really excited about!

Not sure how widely distributed these are going to be or if they are limited but they came out here in the UK a few weeks ago.

Anyway, let’s see how they taste…

Paul John Oloroso Select 48%

Colour: Amber

Body: Full

Nose: Full of rich Sherry and spicy oak, loads of complex orange, orange blossom, orange marmalade, black pepper, fresh ginger.

Taste: Immediately drying with more sweet elements developing. Loads of orange, spicy with black pepper and grapefruit, ginger, orange marmalade,

Finish: Medium/Long length. Lovely, darker and more malty, slightly burnt chocolate.

4 year finish. I really like this. You have to enjoy spicy whisky but it works really well. Impressive and fun.

78/100

 

Paul John PX Select 48%

Colour: Amber

Body: Full

Nose: Sweeter than the Oloroso but more Paul John character too, thick raisin and prune, figs, but also some corn (which I often get from PJ), resinous and oily, something herbal coming out, maybe basil or coriander. Black coffee too. Butter.

Taste: Thick and sweet, stewed raisin and prune, fig, lots of sweet Sherry, then goes into more spicy and dry woodiness, little herbal, basil?

Finish: Medium/Long length. Black pepper and ginger spice, late orange.

Very rich Sherry bomb but with something different. If you like your sweet Sherry character, you’ll love this. I prefer this to the Oloroso but only by a little. Think this one was also a touch more expensive.

79/100

Thanks for reading!

Updated Distillery Rankings

Indian Reviews #15-#16

Whisky Network Reviews #1017-#1018

Network Average: 75.2

Best Score: 94

Worst Score: 12

0-49 Terrible

50-59 Bad

60-64 Just About OK

65-69 Ok to Good

70-74 Good

75-79 Very Good

80-84 Excellent

85-89 Superb

90+ Magnificent

Full Disclosure Disclaimer: I currently work as the Global Brand Ambassador for Penderyn Distillery. The views expressed here are purely my own and do not reflect the views of Penderyn Distillery or The Welsh Whisky Company. I try to maintain as much objectivity as I can but feel free to take my reviews with as big a pinch of salt as you like. Furthermore, my rating scale is NOT based on a Parker type wine scoring scale or a school/college/university % or A-F grade score. You can find more on my scoring here. I apologise for any seemly low or 'bad' scores given with my system and I am sorry I can't say only nice things. Please keep in mind that I am ethically compromised and I am unable to produce 100% unbiased reviews.

Why is this here?

Amrut Spectrum Batch 1 Review

Hi everyone,

One more from the generous people that are the Toronto Whisky Society, in particular u/devoz.

Now I know you’re probably thinking: ‘How many whiskies did they taste that night?’ The answer is a lot, but I stopped making notes because I realised that they weren’t coherent anymore.

Anyway, this is one that I’ve trying to get my hands on for ages because of a load of good reviews. It’s an Amrut matured in Frankenstein barrels that have staves from different types of wood and held different things before, all shoved together. There have been some different batches but this was the first.

Amrut Spectrum Batch 1 50%

Colour: Dark Amber

Body: Full

Nose: Dark and grainy, Trinidad rum, dark spiced rum, stewed fruit, raisin and fig, prune, rich spices, cinnamon banana bread, lots of complexity here, quite corn whiskey-like actually which I often find with some of the Indian single malts.

Taste: Rich and sweet, rum notes appear again- banana and oily rags like a Caroni, raisin and fig, very dark aged Trinidad rum, chewy mouthfeel, black liquorice.

Finish: Medium length. Sweet and spicy, more liquorice. Quite soft here, the power fades out quite quickly.

Hmmmm, really expected to love this but its not really my thing. Kinda reminds me of the Kavalan Vinho Barrique in that respect. Big, big whisky, very dark flavour but doesn't reach the balance that I like.

79/100

Thanks for reading!

Updated Distillery Rankings

Indian Review #14

Whisky Network Review #973

Network Average: 75.1

Best Score: 94

Worst Score: 12

0-49 Terrible

50-59 Bad

60-64 Just About OK

65-69 Ok to Good

70-74 Good

75-79 Very Good

80-84 Excellent

85-89 Superb

90+ Magnificent

Full Disclosure Disclaimer: I currently work as the Global Brand Ambassador for Penderyn Distillery. The views expressed here are purely my own and do not reflect the views of Penderyn Distillery or The Welsh Whisky Company. I try to maintain as much objectivity as I can but feel free to take my reviews with as big a pinch of salt as you like. Furthermore, my rating scale is NOT based on a Parker type wine scoring scale or a school/college/university % or A-F grade score. You can find more on my scoring here. I apologise for any seemly low or 'bad' scores given with my system and I am sorry I can't say only nice things. Please keep in mind that I am ethically compromised and I am unable to produce 100% unbiased reviews.

Why is this here?

Paul John Chirstmas Edition 2019 & 7 Cadenhead's Reviews

Hi everyone,

I seem to taste a lot more Paul John than Amrut for whatever reason.

I’ve found that I prefer the core expressions from Amrut but the really good whiskies from Paul John are stunning and have outdone Amrut for the moment.

Here’s two new ones, one official and one independent.

Paul John Christmas Edition 2019 46%

Colour: Bronze

Body: Medium/Full

Nose: Sweet orange and dark raisin, sweet & sour Chinese sauce?, brandy and Christmas cake, orange chewing gum and dry oak, none of the smoke I got on the last one.

Taste: Sweet and v soft arrival, lacking some power, then chewy orange, grape juice, quite dry, some oak, lots of dark chocolate coming in with dry spice, cinnamon,.

Finish: Medium/Long length. Chocolate orange, oily oak, a little out of balance here.

Finished in PX Sherry casks (whereas last year’s was Oloroso) with a small proportion of peated malt (which I didn't really get). Don’t think this is out yet but will be shortly. Last years seemed more peaty and a touch better. Its close though and both are good. This should be around £50. Thanks to PJ's Craig for the sample.

75/100

Paul John 7 Cadenhead’s 55.4%

Colour: Bronze

Body: Medium

Nose: Creamy and buttery nose, dry sauna wood, corn on the cob, some basil, white pepper, a little smoky actually with a small ash note, eucalyptus. With a bit of coaxing there’s more fruit with delicious dried apricot, vanilla and exotic spices. Interesting and complex nose.

Taste: Soft and oily, fantastic arrival just on the oils, great mouthfeel, nice development with vanilla cream, butter, plenty of dry wood coming in, white pepper, dried mango and some turmeric.

Finish: Medium length. Ginger and white pepper, dry wood again, a tiny hint of cherry maybe, orange perhaps. A little too dry here but I’m nitpicking.

Released 2019, I suspect matured in Scotland for 2 years. Best Indian whisky I’ve had so far. A small step up from the German exclusive single cask I tried a while back. Big, dry whiskies both but there’s an excellent dried fruitiness (mango especially) to this that I love.

86/100

Updated Distillery Rankings

Indian Reviews #12-#13

Whisky Network Reviews #955-#956

Network Average: 75.1

Best Score: 94

Worst Score: 12

0-49 Terrible

50-59 Bad

60-64 Just About OK

65-69 Ok to Good

70-74 Good

75-79 Very Good

80-84 Excellent

85-89 Superb

90+ Magnificent

Full Disclosure Disclaimer: I currently work as the Global Brand Ambassador for Penderyn Distillery. The views expressed here are purely my own and do not reflect the views of Penderyn Distillery or The Welsh Whisky Company. I try to maintain as much objectivity as I can but feel free to take my reviews with as big a pinch of salt as you like. Furthermore, my rating scale is NOT based on a Parker type wine scoring scale or a school/college/university % or A-F grade score. You can find more on my scoring here. I apologise for any seemly low or 'bad' scores given with my system and I am sorry I can't say only nice things. Please keep in mind that I am ethically compromised and I am unable to produce 100% unbiased reviews.

Why is this here?

Paul John Nirvana, Christmas 2018 & Kanya Reviews

Hi everyone,

Apologies again for the lack of posts, been busy with work and travel and and and…

Anyway, more Indian whisky today from Paul John. Really like the distillery style as it seems to be quite Bourbon-like sometimes but with a bit more complexity than Bourbon ever seems to manage.

All three of these are courtesy of the main man, Shilton. Thanks mate.

Paul John Nirvana 40%

Colour: Dark Gold

Body: Medium

Nose: Lovely orange bomb, not weak on the nose but soft, orange peel, orange car sweets complete with the powdered sugar, floral orange blossom, some dry oak in there too. Complex for 40% mind!

Taste: Soft, tingling spices then orange chewing gum, dry oak, some vanilla, creamy, almost chewy mouthfeel, lovely for 40%! Not lacking power.

Finish: Medium length. Chocolatey with malt, chocolate orange and a little oak.

A nice one, better than Brilliance IMO. I think this was released more for cocktails but I really like it just on its own. Think its meant to be pretty cheap too.

73/100

Paul John Christmas Edition 2018 46%

Colour: Bronze

Body: Full

Nose: Classic Paul John corn (I find corn quite a lot of the time anyway), soot from the chimney Santa just crawled down, cinnamon and star anise, big but good oak, a little raisin and subtle Sherry, red liquorice and some Christmas cake.

Taste: Quite dry, nice mouthfeel and oils before the oak hits, spices with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, a little raisin, the Sherry is there but its a bit brutalised by the oak.

Finish: Long length. Nice and oily here with some chocolate, dry oak and red apple. Very dry finish.

Sherry finish with some peated whisky too. Nice nose, but the taste is quite oaky with a very dry finish. A fun one though for sure.

75/100

 

Paul John Kanya 50%

Colour: Dark Gold

Body: Full

Nose: Corn at first nosing (again), there's oak but underneath its fresh with fruit, spiced mango, candied orange peel. Nice nose.

Water: Fresher with less oak.

Taste: Soft arrival, great mouthfeel, oak comes in, fresh oak, spices, then malt and orange with ginger beer going into the finish.

Water: Great, nice soft arrival and development.

Finish: Medium length. Orange peel, spices and oak.

Almost American in style. I found myself a little disappointed with this one compared to the single cask I tried in Germany. I was expecting big things, instead finding that its good whisky but not really worth the hype around it.

75/100

Thanks for reading!

Updated Distillery Rankings

Indian Reviews #9-#11

Whisky Network reviews #905-#907

Network Average: 75.1

Best Score: 94

Worst Score: 12

0-49 Terrible

50-59 Bad

60-64 Just About OK

65-69 Ok to Good

70-74 Good

75-79 Very Good

80-84 Excellent

85-89 Superb

90+ Magnificent

Full Disclosure Disclaimer: I currently work as a Brand Ambassador for Penderyn Distillery. The views expressed here are purely my own and do not reflect the views of Penderyn Distillery or The Welsh Whisky Company. I try to maintain as much objectivity as I can but feel free to take my reviews with as big a pinch of salt as you like. Furthermore, my rating scale is NOT based on a Parker type wine scoring scale or a school/college/university % or A-F grade score. You can find more on my scoring here. I apologise for any seemly low or 'bad' scores given with my system and I am sorry I can't say only nice things. Please keep in mind that I am ethically compromised and I am unable to produce 100% unbiased reviews.

Why is this here?

Amrut Madeira & Kadhambam Reviews

Hi everyone,

Amrut Indian single malt whisky is one that people do hype a little more than say Paul John. The Spectrum and Greedy Angels releases have gotten some big attention from people in the know, while certain single casks go for crazy money at auction. All good signs that the whisky is good stuff.

Trying the Fusion, I learnt that that was for good reason. Its good whisky. And I had the chance to try two others; one new, one not so new but both good.

Amrut Madeira 50%

Colour: Dark Gold

Body: Full

Nose: Quite complex herbal and spicy. A little raisin and prune from the Madeira, orange and cut grass, cinnamon, coriander and cardamom, curry paste and spicy lime chutney. Develops well with shortbread and vanilla.

Taste: Dry arrival, plenty of very dry oak and spices, big cardamom and ginger, some orange coming in, big whisky, really mouth-filling, really dry.

Finish: Medium/Long length. Dry and juicy somehow, orange and oak, some of the cardamom left.

Very dry but very good. Nose is like you've gone for a curry! Quite expensive though.

76/100

 

Amrut Kadhambam 50%

Colour: Amber

Body: Full

Nose: That same spicy lime chutney, complex with a really cool medicinal note, sage, almost earthy, black liquorice, faint orange peel, some raisin.

Taste: Dry arrival and stays dry with lots of oak, then big notes of juicy orange, raisin, liquorice and curried lime, coriander and sage, moments of medicinal-ness.

Finish: Medium length. More medicinal here, orange, ginger and earthy sage.

Batch 5, a combination of Rum, Sherry and Brandy barrels (as stated three times in a row on the box…). A really great whisky from Amrut, very impressed with this.

83/100

Thanks for reading!

Updated Distillery Rankings

Indian Reviews #7-#8

Whisky Network Reviews #894-#895

Network Average: 75.1

Best Score: 94

Worst Score: 12

0-49 Terrible

50-59 Bad

60-64 Just About OK

65-69 Ok to Good

70-74 Good

75-79 Very Good

80-84 Excellent

85-89 Superb

90+ Magnificent

Full Disclosure Disclaimer: I currently work as a Brand Ambassador for Penderyn Distillery. The views expressed here are purely my own and do not reflect the views of Penderyn Distillery or The Welsh Whisky Company. I try to maintain as much objectivity as I can but feel free to take my reviews with as big a pinch of salt as you like. Furthermore, my rating scale is NOT based on a Parker type wine scoring scale or a school/college/university % or A-F grade score. You can find more on my scoring here. I apologise for any seemly low or 'bad' scores given with my system and I am sorry I can't say only nice things. Please keep in mind that I am ethically compromised and I am unable to produce 100% unbiased reviews.

Why is this here?

Paul John Brilliance & Single Cask #2868 Reviews

Hi everyone,

Two from Paul John today, the first, very average and the second, very special.

I have to admit, I don’t know too much about the distillery itself and I haven’t tried enough from these guys and Amrut so I’ll try and make an effort to try more.

Paul John Brilliance 46%

Colour: Light Bronze

Body: Medium

Nose: A malty one. Pastry, malt, cardamom, turmeric, toasted oak, toasted brown bread. It has the unfortunate combo of being both young and spirity but also overly woody. New oak planks, alcohol.

Taste: Soft arrival but quite spicy, spirit, oak planks, cardamom, clove, coriander, then malt, a little pastry, then more spices into the finish.

Finish: Medium length. More sweet with a caramel/toffee thing.

Batch 01 2014, bottle directly from India.

65/100

 

Paul John Unpeated Single Cask 2868 59.4%

Colour: Dark Gold

Body: Full

Nose: Corn! Very American in style but with more complexity than most Bourbon's can pull off. Corn on the cob complete with melting butter, very dry oak, complex spice and dried flowers, soft lavender, woody.

Taste: Rich and intense, buttery, then more dry oak before being more creamy, nice complexity again, coriander and cumin spice, honey and chocolate powder.

Finish: Long length. Buttery with firm oak, some spice stays.

A single cask for Germany. Softer with water but not as good. I like the power and mouthfeel at full strength. Many thanks to my main man Shilton for recommending and pouring this one.

85/100

Distillery: Paul John

Average Score: 72.5

Distillery Rankings: 43rd/ 66 places

Up/Down: 53>43 (Up 10)

Thanks for reading!

Indian Reviews #5-#6

Whisky Network Review #771-#772

Network Average: 74.9

Best Score: 94

Worst Score: 12

0-49 Terrible

50-59 Bad

60-64 Just About OK

65-69 Ok to Good

70-74 Good

75-79 Very Good

80-84 Excellent

85-89 Superb

90+ Magnificent

Full Disclosure Disclaimer: I currently work as a Brand Ambassador for Penderyn Distillery. The views expressed here are purely my own and do not reflect the views of Penderyn Distillery or The Welsh Whisky Company. I try to maintain as much objectivity as I can but feel free to take my reviews with as big a pinch of salt as you like. Furthermore, my rating scale is NOT based on a Parker type wine scoring scale or a school/college/university % or A-F grade score. You can find more on my scoring here. I apologise for any seemly low or 'bad' scores given with my system and I am sorry I can't say only nice things. Please keep in mind that I am ethically compromised and I am unable to produce 100% unbiased reviews.

Why is this here?

Amrut Peated Cask Strength: TWE Show Report

Hi guys and gals,

Today I’ve got an Amrut review. This was tasted at the Whisky Exchange Show London 2016. 

Amrut enjoys a bit of a reputation and after tasting Fusion back in May I saw why. It was lovely, so I was curious to try more and in the end I went for something I thought would be up my street: Amrut Peated Cask Strength.

Amrut Peated Cask Strength 62.8%

Colour: Dark Gold

Body: Full

Nose: Really intense of course but not on the peaty side weirdly. Very spicy with lots of clove, liquorice and aniseed.

Water: Much lighter with vanilla and caramel.

Taste: Very boozy, alcohol, intense fruit, intense oak and a little smoke. Not really peaty as such, not in an Islay way anyway.

Water: Much lighter again, some smoke, vanilla and toffee.

Finish: Medium/Long length. Boozy, fruit and oak.

This certainly was an interesting experience but was not was I was expecting. I was expecting a peat bomb but this didn’t seem very peaty at all. The oak is very loud and is lacking balance from that I think.

72/100

Thanks for reading!

Review #234

Network Average: 75.9

Best Score: 92

Worst Score: 44

0-49 Terrible

50-59 Bad

60-64 Just about OK

65-69 Ok to Good

70-74 Good

75-79 Very Good

80-84 Excellent

85-89 Superb

90+ Magnificent