The world of whisky has evolved tremendously over the last few decades. Not necessarily in terms of the way it is produced but more to do with where it is produced. Whiskey has always been the fiefdom of the Scots followed by the Irish and the Americans. This is now being threatened and every year; new and exciting whiskies are being launched from all corners of the world, chipping away at Scot’s golden crown.
We must pay however pay our respects to Scotland. The world continues to be so in love with the whiskey they produce. People from all over the world are infatuated by Scotch malt and other blended whiskies are trying their luck to make their product much like they do. Sometimes they achieve astonishingly great results when done correctly.
Using the right raw materials is important – malted barley/grain, water, yeast and barrels from the right oak. If attention to the entire distillation process from start to finish is given; and the right infrastructure is created, there is no reason why good (and even great) whisky cannot be made anywhere in the world.
Even England and Wales in the UK are producing astounding whiskies. Heard of the town of Cotswolds in whisky speak before? In a recent tasting, we included Cotswolds Single Malt made in Cotswolds, England and we were intrigued by just how much people liked it.
Ireland has some beauties too. Redbreast, Green and Yellow Spot whiskies are all truly mesmerising, and I have had more than my fair share of Jameson and Bushmills. The Quiet Man Eight Year-Old Single Malt available here is amazing too.
We often perceive that whisky production needs a cool and damp climate like in the highlands of Scotland to produce quality whisky. That is just not true!
Unless you live under a rock, you would know that India is already a major consumer of whisky, whether it is Scotch or some form of the spirit sold blatantly as whisky even if it isn’t. And yet right here, in mostly blistering hot India, we are in the midst of a whisky revolution that I dare say could one day in the distant future even take over the world.
For too long in India there was no one who took the bold step of creating world-class whiskies with the right raw materials in our very own back yard. That changed when Amrut Distillery created a splash with their excellent dram, by making their made in India single malts available all over the world (even before launching in India). These whiskies quickly gained global acclaim partly due to curiosity for the exotic, but also because of their supreme quality.
Paul John Single Malt was launched from sunny Goa, and it has succeeded in creating phenomenal whiskies. In this writer’s opinion, their limited release Kanya is perhaps one of the best whiskies in the world — what they have up their sleeves will knock your socks off. In fact Indian weather plays to the advantage of whisky producers here as the spirit in the barrel ages faster and develops more complexity in a smaller time frame due to the soaring heat.
I’ll go as far as to say that in a blind tasting not too many people will be able to tell the difference between a Scotch and good whiskies from other parts of the world including India.
The Asian whisky bells are ringing loud and proud. Kavalan Distillery in Taiwan has proved that they can make beautiful whiskies too. Their Solist variant aged in sherry cask is a true knock out.
We cannot write any article about Asian whiskies and not comment on the Land of the Rising Sun. Japanese whisky has caught the world’s imagination and in some cases their whiskies have reached cult statuses with prices to match.
The good stuff is truly mind bindingly magnificent and the packaging, even if it is just Japanese lettering, makes for many buyers. I should mention that I do not think all whiskies from Japan deserves the adulation they blindly receive. Some of the entry-level whiskies still demand a high enough price but are actually just not that good enough.
The United States of America has a flourishing whisky trade making astonishing bourbon and rye whiskies. Canada makes world-class rye whiskies too. You may argue however that those whiskies are of different styles completely and cannot be compared to the ones the Scottish make. I agree but they deserve a mention never the less. A small number of distilleries in the US however are making whiskies in the styles more associated with Scotland and making it well. Mccarthy’s Oregon Single Malt also available in India is a good example.
Whiskies are made in wine drinking regions like France too. Taking cue from their Cognac brothers, Brenne, a French Single Malt that is available in India, is matured in Limousin. Cognac casks offer raisin fruit like flavours. You would be surprised to know that whisky is made in other parts of Europe like Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands and Belgium as well.
There is a growing thirst for Scotch whiskey in South America and distillers are trying their luck at making Scotch like whisky there. I would be keen to see the results of their endeavours. In the Southern Hemisphere, Tasmania in Australia has proved that they can make world-class whiskies with Hellyers Road, Nant Distillery & Estate Tasmanian Highlands and Sullivans Cove Distillery.
In the quest for discovering new whiskies, the map is now not limited to the more established parts of the world. The roads to discovery are in literally all directions. For any whiskey/whisky enthusiast, finding one that blows them away is always the pursuit. Now they have the world to choose from and while they must pay homage to the great whiskies of Scotland, their journey cannot not end there.
Nikhil Agarwal
