Amrut Spectrum 004

Nose - (w/o water) Sharp dark dried stone fruity sweet, chocolate covered orange zest, grilled pineapple, cognac, leather, dark raisins. (w/ water) Less bite, the dark dried stone fruits is still present but more rounded out. Taste - (w/o water) Hot hot white pepper heat, smoked sea salt dark caramel, caramelized figs, dark raisins, light fruity char, leather, sweet tobacco, faint hint of meaty smoke on back end, savory sweet smoked meat (w/ water) Heat tamed down while preserving all of the flavors, sweetness is tamed a bit. Finish - (w/o water) Lingering smoky meaty dark dried stone fruit savory meaty sweet, brine, grilled pineapple char, fading white pepper heat, leather, dark chocolate (w/ water) Less heat, leather disappears, more milk than dark chocolate. Score - 92/100 Final Thoughts - This is a very interesting dram for sure. The hybrid/monster of Frankenstein barrel really does wonders for the tropical spirit. On the nose, you get a blast of sharp sweets and it continues onto the palate. It could be me but it tastes like there's a very very small percentage of peated malt in this one in that I get this smoky savory sweet meat only on the palate. Like the previous Amrut malts that I've tried, it's a bit hot but a tiny bit of water really softens & opens it up nicely. Nice charred tropical fruit throughout with a good balance of sweet sherry influence. Not exactly an everyday drinker, but definitely a nice complex dessert dram for sure.

Over-priced, over-rated. Sugary, bourbon-like.

A roller coaster of flavor. Excellent. Complex. Rich. Earthy. Woody molasses nose. Smooth. Mesquite. Smoky but not peaty.

I tasted this at a whisky show last week and immediately made plans to acquire a bottle. The flavors on the palette change in waves, a phenomanon I've only encountered previously with Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix. I can't do full justice to its complexity without further tastings, which will follow as soon as I open my bottle, but wanted to encourage the fine members of this community to grab one if you can.