Paul John Bold

When traveling for work I've found that big city stores don't tend to go easy on the pocketbook, so I'm drawn to grab a bottle with an unexpectedly reasonable price tag of something that I've never had before. In my naïve mind, this helps justify the expense since on some level I've limited the rampant profiteering, tried something new, and will be forgiven even if it goes unfinished. The entry this time is Paul John "Bold" (i.e. peated NAS), for a reasonable $40 that I doubt I could do better than back home even at modest Midwest prices. This is also my first Indian whisky, so double points awarded says I. Enough about me - the dram is a nice light honey brown. While not overly weighty, it coats the glass with a fair bit of oil. A relatively gentle, sweet and simple nose. Unusual but not unpleasant, it showcases honey, chili pepper, raw cane, and a touch of hay. A very creamy body and neutral simple syrup open the palate, then smoke, pineapple, and roasted chestnut develop along with a pleasing floral character. It's a bit as if Laphroaig 10 and a lightly-aged Barbados rum had a love child. A tingle of baking spices play alongside honeydew. Coconut cream. This is pretty tasty stuff for an approachable price. Yes, it's a little young but it suits the finished product quite well. Some drying aspartame plays spoiler to the primary flavors but this is very approachable, sippable, and competitive at the price point. I'd recommend any peated scotch fans take a waiver and see how it stacks up.

Nice combo of malt and peat, rounded out by some sweetness. Adds a nice smokiness to cocktails.