(Image Source: LMDW, Stocklib)

Based about 20km outside the Indian city of Bangalore, Amrut is one of India's foremost fine spirits distillers, best known for its whiskies. Yet the distillery is also the first and only distillery in India to possess a specific license allowing the distillery to produce rums entirely made from jaggery, a solidified, unrefined sugar. 

Jaggery is produced by reducing vesour, sugar cane must, and traditionally heated with bagasse-fuelled fires (bagasse being the fibrous residue of sugar cane stems) in large metals tanks. Upon thickening, the syrup is then poured onto a large stone, where it is left to cool and is finally shaped by hand into 3-4kg blocks. It is found popularly in all homes in India, and is used to make desserts, drinks and savory dishes.

Jaggery, a solidified, unrefined sugar found in most Indian households. (Image Source: Pinkvilla)

Amrut has been producing rums using jaggery that is diluted before fermentation and then distilled in pot stills, using artisanal methods, only once a year in small batches, around year end. The distillery has produced jaggery rum since 2012, which is used in the distillery's Two Indies blend, which is composed of rums from India, Barbados, Jamaica and Guyana.

"In 2018, La Maison du Whisky and Velier were invited to Bangalore by Ashok Chokalingam, director of single malt production at the Amrut distillery, which has also produced rum since 1955.

During the trip, our host introduced us to a special category of rum, produced with jaggery, a solidified, unrefined sugar that is diluted before fermentation and then distilled. It has been produced at Amrut using very artisanal methods, once a year, in small quantities, between November and December, since 2012."

Ashok Chokalingam, the director of Amrut's single malt production. (Image Source: Whisky Advocate)

The 7 Year Old Indian Pure Single Rum produced in 2015 bottled by LMDW and Velier comes from a single ex-Bourbon cask and is bottled at 65% ABV. It is said to demonstrate "remarkable unity of tone in which orange and apricot notes play a dominant role, this version’s aroma and flavour palette develops to the rhythm of deeply complex floral (rose, lilac) and spicy (turmeric, saffron) sequences." It has a total outturn of 285 bottles and is an LMDW exclusive.

(Image Source: LMDW)

Official Tasting Notes

Colour

Deep orangey copper.

Aroma

Rich, concentrated.

On the first nose, bitter orange, beeswax and fresh apricot appear alongside more chocolate and praline aromas. Allowed to breathe, oriental spices (turmeric, curry, cumin) create a gentle yet invigorating transition.

Then, bringing with them cocoa bean, vanilla pod and heady florals (lavender, purple lilac), aromas of slightly burnt sugar cane spread voluptuously through the aroma palette.

Taste

Taut, lively.

The lively attack is characterised by a very refreshing fruity acidity (bitter orange). Lingering on, the flavour palette becomes more supple and flavours of apricot flesh envelop the edge of the palate.

On the mid-palate, notes of eucalyptus, cocoa bean and toffee are gradually covered in black liquorice. The end of the palate is exotic (mango, flambéed banana).

Finish

Long, rich.

At the start of the finish, still very present, orange and apricot act as Ariadne’s thread, linking the three stages of the tasting together. A combination of cinnamon, caramel and tar, the end of the finish is also floral (rose, geranium).

On the retro-nasal olfaction, succulent apricot, fig and peach jams coat the taste buds. The empty glass is nobly spicy (saffron, cardamom), fruity (blood orange) and roasted (coffee).

Kanpai!

@111hotpot