Long time no see. Well I am back now. Today I bring you an article and review of Paul John Indian Single Malt Whisky distillery and a few of their releases I have tried and liked. I hope you will enjoy this little detour to India!

John Distilleries Pvt Ltd is an Indian company that produces distilled beverages, and the company's flagship brand is Original Choice whisky. It also manufactures brandy, whisky, wines, and the award winning single malt whisky called Paul John. The founders have sold 51% of the company to Sazerac Company. 

John Distilleries was founded by Paul P. John, originally from Kerala and the son of a plantation and liquor baron in Karnataka. He also has interests in hospitality. The company's first distillery was set up in Bangalore, Karnataka. The company launched Original Choice whisky in 1996. The brand was an instant success, taking John Distilleries to the top of the segment of the Indian whisky market. The company decided to take the brand national, and signed Malayalam film actor Mohanlal as surrogate brand ambassador.

John Distilleries sold four million cases in 2005. Original Choice was the largest selling IMFL brand in Karnataka that year, selling nearly two lakh cases a month with John Distilleries' overall IMFL sales by volume in the state amounting to around 1.2 million cases. Original Choice sold about 4.5 million cases in 2006, and 6.41-million cases in 2007

The company has always been making blended whisky, but decided to manufacture single malt whisky in 2008 in an attempt to enter the premium segment of the market. John Distilleries chose to use Indian ingredients to give the whisky characteristics of its country of origin. The first bottling of Paul John whisky, branded "Paul John Single Cask 161 Whisky", was officially launched in London, UK, on 4 October 2012. The brand's second release was, "Paul John Single Cask 163 Whisky". Following the single cask release, Paul John's flagship single malt whiskies were released in May 2013. They were branded Paul John Brilliance, Paul John Edited and Paul John Bold. These expressions range from unpeated to peated and are available across 38 countries in the world today. With over 200 known international awards, the range of expressions also include Select Cask Classic and Select Cask Peated.

Paul John Nirvana - Natural Color (?), Chill filtered, 40%

No. It's not named after Nirvana, which everyone think it might be and which I thought when I first saw it. I fenced competitively in my school years. In the third grade, a trainer with glasses came to our school for "sword training" for the first time. Everyone was happy, why not? Shall we try? Wow, that's cool! After that, I fenced competitively for nine years. Maybe it was when I spent my third year at the BSE gym that I heard the phone of the our beloved trainer (who eventually became my personal trainer) ringing with a new ringtone instead of the usual, unpleasant, 60s old beep beep ringtone. I think everyone can guess what it was. Nirvana. "With the lights out, it's less dangerous, here we are now, entertain us, I feel stupid, and contagious, here we are now, entertain us, a mulatto, an albino, a mosquito, my libido." This is where my love for Nirvana and similar bands began. This music brings back many fond memories of my former coach and my father because he also loves this band. That's why music is good, it brings us together. Unfortunately, such a sensational albums are no longer produced these days. We're left with Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, or some other fast-talking rapper… and they call themselves musicians. Well, seriously, how could a "Baby baby baby oooohhh??"... even be mentioned on the same page as the bands of old times? There is just no way. The music of the past remains, which is still good today.

Nirvana in India refers to the deep peace of mind achieved through Moksha, liberation from Samsara, or liberation from the state of suffering after appropriate spiritual practice or Sādhanā.

"A captivating expression from the Goan shores of India, the Nirvana arouses the senses with a soft whiff of bourbon, fruitcake and an enticing caramel pudding. The honeycomb sweetness gently touches the palate with a mild salt-tinged barley while the succulent vanilla heralds the honeyed finish of this rich copper whisky, assuring sublime experiences beyond the worldly realm."

Well, let's see what Paul John's entry category can do, will I go to Nirvana or stay with Smells Like Teen Spirit?

Nose: The bourbon barrels do their job, clearly perceptible in the aroma. Banana, papaya. Then the green apple appears with a little vanilla and caramel. For a moment, the grainy, honey smell of Gemenc whiskey jumps in, which is not a big favorite. Simple. There is nothing unpleasant about it.

Taste: Malty flavors, honey, tropical fruits. A little spiciness also appears. It smelled better. 40% abv is a bit weak here…

Finish: Medium length \ with honey, malt and a little spiciness.

Well, come on. I didn't get into Nirvana state… I wasn't impressed. Not bad, but I wouldn't buy a whole bottle of it. Perfect and cheap for beginners or as a gift. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's not for me anymore, if I may say so myself. I'd rather go and listen to a little Come As You Are. 79 / 100

Paul John Brilliance - Natural Color (?), Non-chill filtered, 46%

"From the Goan shores of India, this unpeated Indian Single Malt Whisky with hues of sparkling copper invites you to relish its sweet notes touched with a gentle whiff of spice. The honey-like smoothness entices the palate with its rare, cocoa flavoured crispiness, leading you to the deep woody finish of American oak blended with creamy tones of intense vanilla. Experience a taste of handcrafted, non chill-filtered brilliance."

Finally, the bottle is not darkened, we can see the color of the whisky... This edition is also made from the usual six-row Indian barley. Finally, it was bottled at a slightly higher alcohol level, and it is no longer chill filtered. Sounds good. Another big bonus is the price. It's relatively cheap. I don't know what is true about this, but on an Indian site, which I had to use Google Translate to understand, they claimed that this release was rested in Heaven Hill second and firstfill barrels. (I don't think it's just a plain first fill, because the drink would become very sweet and woody due to the tropical climate and rapid maturation.) However, in return, we get a flavor that would be very difficult to find in Scotch whiskies. Well, let's see what the Indian "flagship" single malt can do.

Nose: Smells much better than Nirvana. Much rounder, more complex. Floral scents are first to be felt, followed by honey. I can smell cake, vanilla, cinnamon… I like this now. At the end, tropical fruits appear, perhaps the most defining ones are coconut and mango. Overall very sweet. Very very.

Taste: It tastes very sweet. Cane sugar, typically the sweetness I usually feel in rums. Honey. It also has spiciness, but not too strong. It is not nearly as complex in taste as it is in aroma. It's not bad, but it could be better and let's say a little less sweet. It could also be that I'm not in such a sweet tooth mood right now. I do not know. Now it seems sweet even compared to Nirvana.

Finish: Creamy and relatively balanced between sweetness and spiciness. In the end, the coconut brings a tiny bit of dryness. Totally good.

So I liked it in the end. You can easily drink it with friends and family. Would I recommend it? Yes. The mini, and then if you like it, you can buy a full bottle. Fortunately, there are also mini versions of almost all Paul John bottlings available in Hungary. Well, let's go on, now the interesting things are coming. 80 / 100

Paul John Classic Select - Natural Color , Non-chill filtered, 55.2%

"Explore tropical Goa in every sip of the Classic Select Cask. The lush freshness of this Single Malt envelops you from the very beginning. To give you this experience, we've matured it in selectively chosen cask profiles and bottled it without chill filtration, at cask strength. Relish the tropical rush, Goan style."

The cask combination is the usual first fill and second fill bourbon. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information about which distillery's barrels are used. Let's speculate a little. What do you think? Do you also think that this is simply a cask strength or less diluted version of Brilliance? I think so, although I don't think it will ever be revealed. I expect a lot from this, as I usually do from any cask-strength bottling.

Nose: Well, that's a hit! The website says: "A hint of bourbon teases your senses." Yes, that is very correct. The Elijah Craig A120 Barrel Proof came to mind first. In a blind tasting, I'd probably say it's definitely bourbon. I don't know where to put it. Why does a single malt smell like bourbon? Was the first-fill too much? Was there a little extra bourbon left in the bottom of the barrel? Who knows. After resting for about 5 minutes, a hint of malty aroma appears, with lemon and vanilla. An incredible amount of caramel pours out of it. Still more bourbon than single malt. After 15 minutes it finally calms down. Malty aromas, lemon, vanilla, pineapple, mango, papaya. Pleasant, very refreshing.

Taste: Malt, fresh crusty bread and fruit basket. It is sweet, but the alcohol level of the drink compensates the sweetness well. Marzipan, candied lemon cake. Interesting taste, that's for sure. Those who very conservatively only like the taste of old school scotch whiskey will definitely not like this. I like it. Like everyone, I have my whisky eras. In the summer, I especially like to drink bourbon in the heat. Could this be a very good alternative? I think yes. I bought a full bottle that I haven't opened yet. I won't for now, but later in the summer.

Finish: eminiscent of a rum flavor. It could even be called a rum-bourbon fusion. Long finish, I can still taste it after three minutes. Pleasant.

What's the verdict? For those who like bourbon, rum and single malt, this can be an interesting drink. In reality, I could "sense" all three drinks. The nose was very bourbon-y, it took time for the hidden single malt to emerge. On the palate, it finally tasted like single malt, but the bourbon was still there. And the rum appeared in the finish. An interesting drink. I think it's definitely worth a chance in mini form. Not a disappointment to me at all. In fact! It will be perfect for the summer with bourbons, which I tend to drink. 83 / 100

Paul John Select Cask Oloroso - Natural Color , Non-chill filtered, 48%

"A special edition of Indian single malt from the sunny Goan coasts, the Oloroso is a sensational explosion of incredible flavours. With dark mahogany hues, this exquisite expression presents an aromatic tapestry of sherry influenced fragrances of peach and apricot with a light note of molassess and blood orange. Sublimely finished in Oloroso casks, its soft flavours are filed with a nutty chocolate and Melton Hunt cake. The long finish is intense and sweet with delicious heavy spices imbibed from the Oloroso casks and melded with a dash of coffee mocha and sumptuous dark chocolate."

This bottle started me on the Paul John tasting journey. I really wanted some cask-strength sherry bomb that is under 100 EUR. Unfortunately, these days approx. impossible to find a deal like that. There is the 10-year cask strength of GlenAllachie, but I was not impressed by it. As I was browsing the store, I saw this beautiful, almost black bottle and remembered that I had luck with its sibling, the PX version. It tasted great and I remembered it being a dirty, violent sherry bomb. I need this! No problem with these violent sherry bombs, sometimes that's what you want. It is true that it is not cask-strength but that's not an issue.

Nose: You have to let it air out, otherwise the nauseatingly honeyed Oloroso fruitiness will hit you in the head. After about ten minutes of rest, it is very pleasant. Blood orange, fig, date scents. Manuka honey, peach and malt scents. Very sweet, very round. I like. Tropical fruits cannot be discovered at all. The big question here is how long it was in sherry casks. They say finish. But what does finish mean? One month of first fill bourbon and three years of sherry finish? We don't know, but I think this spirit has aged more in sherry casks than in bourbon casks.

Taste: Let's taste it! Massive. Syrupy, sticky. Sherry monster. But that's exactly what I need now. Wow, good! It's very thick. Dried apricots and plums coated with milk chocolate. The malt flavor is also very good. Roasted coffee and oak. It is very difficult to discover a few things from a bourbon barrel. Vanilla, pineapple and coconut are in the background. I think it's very good.

Finish: Long, sweet and sticky. The taste of sherry stays in our mouth for a very long time. Spicy, minty. The coffee leaves with a bitter taste. I feel that it is balanced because of the sweet and bitter coffee taste.

I think it's a very well complex whisky. I would be curious to see what a shorter sherry finish would do with the distillate. I think for many people this would be too violent, sticky, sherry bomb. In the past I had the pleasure of tasting a bottling of Edradour 2010 12 years cask strength. The level and stickiness of sherry can be compared to this bottle. I definitely recommend it as a drink for colder times, it's hard to enjoy such a concentrated drink in the summer. 88 / 100

Paul John Edited - Natural Color (?) , Non-chill filtered, 46%

"Edited is for the extraordinary. We poured forth all our mastery into crafting this Single Malt. The hint of peat has been skilfully created from discreetly chosen cask profiles. All to delight the true whisky connoisseur.

Hear the sea off Goa tell its own stories, unedited."

We have come to what I think are the two most exciting bottles. Let's start with Edited. Indian six-rowed barley and Indian peated six-rowed barley. They don't tell us what the percentage is, unfortunately, but the "hint of peat" suggests that there is more unpeated barley in the distillate. A mixture of usual first and second fill barrels. To tell the truth, I was very curious about this, because I really like Amrut Fuison, which is also made with similar parameters. In fact! I'm going to be so bold and say that I think the Amrut idea has been tapped. There is nothing wrong with that, at least there is competition between the two distilleries. What makes it interesting for me is what a peated whiskey can be like when matured at extremely high temperatures. It's time to find out.

Nose: Very interesting! Little smoke. Smell of salty sea, earthy, mineral peat. It is the upper layer that dominates. Underneath is the sweetness of Brilliance. Banana, pineapple and coconut. Very malty and oily. Espresso. Like. I could spend hours sniffing it. An interesting mix. On one side, I imagine that I am walking on the coast of the Scottish Highlands or even Islay and the salty, refreshing air slaps the sea water on my face. However, there is the other side of the distillate, I bathe on an exotic beach, sipping fresh coconut milk in the cooling shade, in the great heat.

Taste: Sweet and salty opening taste. It's as if the peat is fighting with the exotic fruits to see who wins and who reaches the finish line first. The winner is banana and pineapple. Peat and smoke comes second after them. Espresso and mineral flavors. I think this whisky is very well balanced.

Finish: Long. Pleasantly peaty and salty. Sweetness. Dark chocolate, espresso and sweet fruits.

This is definitely an interesting dram, give it a try.  85 / 100

Paul John Bold - Natural Color (?) , Non-chill filtered, 46%

"Bold is a journey that leads you down the unexplored, unchartered terrains of Goa. It offers you a slice of its best-kept secrets, unravelling the mysteries, bit by little bit. This expression of ours invites you to leave the trail, tread the path less taken and plunge headlong into the delicious depths of Goa."

This release is the 100% peated version of the distillery. They bring peat from Aberdeenshire in Scotland, which is used to smoke their own six-row barley. I'm not a big peathead. I prefer the peatiness of Highland. Some of my favorite distilleries include Highland Park and Ardmore for example. Somehow a lot of Islay whiskeys have this bacon smell that I can't stand in whisky. Bowmore and Laphroaig are probably my favorites from Islay. Well, Bunnahabhain is also good, but it doesn't count because they put unpeated stuff on the market. I won't waste my time or your time, let's see how it is!

Nose: I find little smoke here. Bacon… meh… Honey and brown sugar. Banana, with a little vanilla in the background. It's so not my world.

Taste: Silky, round and pleasant. The peat has a much stronger taste, the bacon has fortunately disappeared. I also discovered a bit of saltiness here. Slight oakiness, with spiciness and honey. I haven't found this in any so far. Maybe this is the youngest distillate and they tried to cover it with peat? Anyway, not so noticeable, strong, but still delicious.

Finish: Medium length, or rather... short. Bacon, peat, salt and smoked fruits. I don't think it's something extra. This was perhaps my least favorite distillate during the tasting.

What a trip it was! Unpeated, peated, sweet, bitter, we encountered everything here. I was very surprised by the Paul John distillery. In my opinion, Edited was the most characteristic, complex and delicious drink. Oloroso follows closely behind in second place. Classic can't complain about its third place either, I think it performed well. Brilliance and Nirvana are excellent inexpensive starter whiskies. Well, as I said, Bold is not my world so before I forget to rate it I will give it 78 / 100.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. To many more. Sláinte.