A Guide to Indian Whisky: The Power of the Sun
Once a well-kept secret, Indian single malts are now taking the world by storm, winning major awards and stunning connoisseurs with their incredible depth and richness, all thanks to the unique climate of their homeland.
Indian Whisky At a Glance
- Origin: India
- Primary Grain: Indian 6-Row Barley
- Key Flavors: Tropical Fruit, Rich Malt, Honey, Spice, Chocolate
- Color: Deep Gold to Rich Amber
- Aging: Matures incredibly quickly due to the climate.
The Angel's Share on Overdrive
The secret to Indian single malt whisky is the heat. In the warehouses of Bangalore, the tropical climate causes the whisky to interact with the oak barrels at an accelerated rate. The amount of spirit that evaporates each year—the "angel's share"—can be as high as 12%, compared to just 2% in Scotland. This means that a 6-year-old Indian whisky can have the maturity, complexity, and richness of a 15 or 20-year-old Scotch.
A Different Kind of Barley
Many Indian distilleries, like the pioneering Amrut, use barley grown in India at the foothills of the Himalayas. This 6-row barley has a higher protein and husk content than the 2-row barley common in Scotland. This results in a distinctly rich, malty, and sometimes spicy character that forms the unique backbone of these incredible whiskies. They are a true expression of their own terroir, not a copy of Scotch, and they are some of the most exciting spirits being produced in the world today.