Asia (Non-Japan) Flashcards
(51 cards)
Categories of Asian whisky (McLean)
Extra Neutral Alcohol
Blended Whisky
Malt Whisky
Single Malt Whisky
Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA)
Made by fermentation and distillation in continuous stills. Typically molasses, rice, millet, buckwheat or barley. Basic Asian whiskies are made from ENA mixed with whiskey or other artificial flavorings.
Blended Whisky
A mix of ENA whisky and locally produced malt whisky and/or bulk imported whisky. The product does not pass the EU definition of “whisky.”
Malt Whisky
Blends of 100% malt whiskies, domestic or foreign, qualify as “whisky” in EU if matured for at least 3 years.
Who are the founding members of the Indian Malt Whisky Association? and when was it launched?
Founding members
1) Paul P John of Paul John
2) Abhishek Khaitan of Radico Khaaitan
3) Rakshit N Jagdale of Amrut
4) Siddhartha Sharma - Piccadily Distillers
Officially launched on March 20, 2025
What is a updated definition of Indian Single Malt Whisky according to the Indian Malt Whisky Association?
Indian Single Malt Whisky must be produced from 100% malted barley,
at one distillery,
using copper pot stills.
The spirit must exit the still at no higher than 60% ABV.
The whisky must be matured for a minimum of three years in wooden oak barrels of less than 700 liter capacity.
Nothing can be added to alter the cask including wood chips.
Indian Single Malts must be crafted using only three ingredients - malted barley, pure water and yeast.
Carmel coloring and demineralized water may be added before bottling.
Must be distilled, matured and bottled in India.
Indian Pure Malt or Blended Malt
Blend of two or more malts from different distilleries.
Question
Answer
When did distillation start in India?
-India is thoght to be one of the earliest (if not the first) country to distil a social spirit in the third century
-distilate made from sugar cane
First “modern” Indian distillery?
-Kausali was home to “Old Monk Rum”
-was given as daily ration to troops
What does IMFL stand for?
-Indian Made Foreign Liquors
-example distillers make “whisky” from molassess often sold with Scotch names
How much “whisky” does India consume per year?
-1.5 billion litres (396 million gallons)
-mostly IMFL
Who was the first Indian distillery to launch a single malt?
-Amrut - 2004
Amrut
-Founded in Bangalore (now Bengaluru) in 1948 by Jagdale family
-Branch into dedicated Single Malt production in 2001 (first relase 2004)
-Innovation has been key
-Two Continents - casks shipped from India to Scotland starting in virgin oak, then sherry, then ex-Bourbon
-Spectrum - staves made up of four different cask types: American Oak (#3 char), light new French Oak, ex-olorosso & PX staves, and rye
-Naarangi - ex-Oloroso sherry casks seasoned with wine and orange peel for three years
-Greedy Angels - showing impact of sub-tropical maturation (14% per year)
Amrut Production
-“our new make is fruity, heavy, and malty”
-one of the longest ferments = 140 hours
-slow distilled - double distilled in pots
-Sustainability looms in their thinking
-completely reusing water after treatment (reduced 60,000 litres per day)
-Methane generated in effluent treatment plant now used in hot water boiler
Paul John
-based in Goa since 1992 (making molasses based spirit)
-now sells 21 million cases a year
-Single Malt started in 2001 with pair of pot stills (now 8 - giving million litres per year)
-Six row Indian malted barley (different levels of peating)
-Fermentation 70 hours
-Pots have upward facing lyne arms - lighter fruitier new make
-Goa is tropical - 7%-8% angels share
Rampur
-Radico Khaitan owned distillery in Himalayan hills in North of India
-started operations in 1943
-Single malt became part of operations in 1992
-First single malt released in 2016
-Considerable business with total capacity of 72 million litres per year of molasses spirit and 30 million per year of grain
-malt plant is housed in seperate facility - increased capacity of 9 million litres
-“extreme temperatures in north make our malts mature at an aggressive pace”
Picadilly
-2021 - Indri brand (named after the firm’s home town) where the firm started in 1952
-built malt plant and started distilling malt spirits in 2011
-Blender Surrinder Kumar moved from same position at Amrut
-unpeated 6 row barley = more fruity character
-Clear wort and long ferments
-Summer temperatures can reach 122F
Other Indian Distilleries
-Kasauli - formerly named Mohan Meakin
-India’s oldest distlillery including Old Monk Rum and Solan 1 whisky
-entered single malt category in 2019 with Soam Gold
-Sikkim Seas Distillery - produces Sikkim Himalayan Premium Single Malt
-South Seas Distillery - claims to have India’s largest pot stills
Changes to definitions of Indian Single Malt and Single Grain
-In 2024 Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) updated definitions of Indian Single Malt new definitions took affect March 2025
-Indian Malt Whisky Association established
-working towards establishing an Indian Single Malt GI
Indian Malt Whisky Association
-Board includes:
Paul J John (Paul John)
Rakshit N Jagdale (Amrut)
Abhishek Khaitan (Radico Khaitan)
Akhil Dada (Piccadily)
IMWA Guidelines launched March 2024
-Indian Single Malt Whisky must be 100% Malted Barley distilled to no higher than 60% ABV (120 proof)
-Aged minimum of three years in oak barrels smaller than 700L
-nothing can be added to alter cask
-crafted using only three ingredients: malted barley, water, yeast
-Carmel coloring and demineralized water may be added before bottling
-Blended Malt or 100% Malt must be mixture of two or more malts from different distilleries
-distilled, matured and bottled in India
-Do NOT designated minimum bottling ABV
