Amrut Distilleries releases world’s first-ever multi-wood barrel Single Malt Whisky – Amrut Spectrum

December 2021: Amrut is delighted to announce the launch of the Spectrum 004 in India, (coinciding with the 3rd global release). 

Riding high on the response of recent releases in India of Amrut Fusion X, Triparva and Neidhal, Amrut is set to bring the exclusive Spectrum Single Malt Whisky which is aged in a one-of-a-kind barrel. This custom-built barrel also christened as Spectrum casks that is only available in Amrut, is made with not one kind of Oak staves but four different types.

To make the Spectrum 004, a two-part maturation technique has been employed, the first being maturation of New Make spirit in an ex-Bourbon cask then the innovation follows where the spirit is transferred to a custom build barrel fusing American and European type barrels into one single barrel a.k.a Spectrum cask, where the aged spirit is matured for the remaining period into this magical cask. These Spectrum barrels are made with 4 different kinds of staves, new American Oak with Char level 3, lightly toasted new French Limousin Oak, ex-Oloroso sherry staves, and ex-PX Sherry staves. 

The Spectrum is a testament to Amrut’s commitment to innovate and release whiskies that push the boundary. 6000 bottles are currently in-transit to local distributors and retailers in Europe, USA and Asia Pacific. While 600 bottles of this whisky will be released in Bengaluru priced at Rs.12,999/-.

The barrel-twist!

Whisky, for the past 400 years has traditionally been aged in a cask made of one type of oak wood, which lends flavour and complexities to the malt. However, Amrut wanted to experiment with a cask with four different types of wood. This however presented a unique challenge, as each oak wood stave had different thickness and properties.

The problem was addressed with an indigenous and ingenious solution; four different casks were made, each of a different type of wood, and corresponding staves were removed to be stitched together in one cask. The barrel, therefore, consisted of a mix of new American Oak, new French Limousin Oak, ex-PX sherry cask stave & ex-Oloroso sherry cask stave. The Spectrum barrel has some old, some new yet equal proportions of all four kinds of staves arranged in a one-after-the-other manner lending their own characteristics and complexities to the malt unlike ever before in the centuries of whisky-making.

Quote from Ashok Chokalingam, Head Distiller, Amrut Distilleries:

“It is one of the exciting releases from Amrut and perhaps in the whisky world. 400 years of whisky making and a novel idea of maturation on a custom-built barrel that was never done before, and the fact that it is made in India, is the icing on the cake. As a distiller, who oversaw the maturation and bottling of this particular batch, I am immensely proud of this bottling.” 

Tasting notes from Ashok Chokalingam:

Colour: Dark Honey 

Nose: The journey begins with very strong scents of dried fruits and Christmas pudding with a near-perfect companion of coconut cream dosed with vanilla. Then an element of sticky toffee pudding with an aroma that is hard to describe and perhaps a shade of sandalwood. The phenol that is completely dusked due to the dominance of the sherry influence is mesmerising.

Taste: It is a jammy and syrupy affair. A cloud of mild spice dust that is quite lovely, it is enveloped by vanilla pudding and a creamy texture. There are juicy sultanas with an aromatic mask joined by the mildest hint of phenol and a perfect degree of wood tone. 

Finish: It is brilliantly refreshing with a minty shade and ends with a sweet tone.

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