Amrut Portonova Single Malt Whisky - 70cl
Amrut Portonova is an unpeated single malt whisky matured initially in a combination of new American oak and ex-bourbon barrels, then transferred to once used port pipes, imported from Portugal and finally back to ex-bourbon casks.
It is aptly named Portonova as there is a town called Parangipettai (Portonovo) on the east coast of India, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, a territory that was under Portuguese control from the 16th to the 18th century.
This single malt is exotic and vibrant on both nose and the palate and it delivers plentiful of raisins, vanilla, cherry liqueur and spices. The effect is the extraordinary smoothness on the finish.
Tasting Notes
Nose : Heavy, thickly oaked and complex. Some curious barley-sugar notes here shrouded in soft smoke. Big, but seductively gentle, too!
Taste : The delivery, though controlled at first, is massive! Then more like con-fusion as that smoke on the nose turns into warming, full blown peat, but it far from gets its own way as a vague sherry trifle note (curious, seeing how there are no sherry butts involved) - the custard presumably is oaky vanilla - hammers home that barley - fruitiness to make for a bit of a free-for-all; but for extra food measure the flavours develop into a really intense chocolate fudge middle which absolute resonates through the palate.
Finish : A slight struggle here as the mouthfeel gets a bit puffy here with the dry peat and oak; enough molassed sweetness to see the malt through to a satisfying end, though. Above all the spices, rather than lying down and accepting their fate, rise up and usher this extraordinary whisky to its exit.
ABV 50%