Paul John

Paul John whisky hails from the Goa region of India and is considered by many as the premier whisky now coming out of the country..

The name on the bottle is derived from the owner himself Mr Paul John, who is also the name behind John Distillers ( the parent company of Paul John ).. Originating  from Kerala, Paul John set up the company and launched its first distillery in Bangalore..

The company is well known for its blended whisky including “original choice” which was launched in 1996 and became an instant success taking the company to top in the Indian whisky market..

2008 sees the beginning of the single malt whisky production for the company with the launch into the uk market in 2012.

The Paul John distillery uses a six row barley grown and harvested from the foot of the Himalayas mountain range, natural spring water is also sourced locally with the only things sourced from outside of India being the casks and peat used for drying some of the barley..

The peat is sourced from two locations within Scotland, firstly Islay, this peat is predominantly used for the Bold expression but also in conjunction with Peat from the Mainland ( Aberdeenshire) of Scotland in order to create a different style for the peated Select cask style.

Peated Select.

Distillery.. Paul John

Region.. Goa – India

Age.. NAS ( around 6-7 years old )

Abv.. 55.5%

Cask.. First fill Bourbon ( newer bottlings May use 2nd Fill also )

Ppm.. 35

This is Naturally Coloured and NCF..

Nose.. The peat / smoke is dominating but in no way is it overpowering, fresh fruits come in the form of apples, ripe pear, hints of pineapple, mango and peach.. There is a sweetness like Manuka honey that also brings in an earthiness and gentle spices.

Palate.. The smoke is more dominant than I remember from earlier vintages but still it compliments the spices and fruits perfectly. Soft hints of chocolate and oak are noticeable now along with that earthy note that was found on the nose.

Finish.. Smokey oak and spices

Thoughts.. I just can not believe I have not already reviewed this one, as It always impresses me when I pour a glass of Paul John single malt whisky, the quality is second to none and flavour profiles certainly cannot be questioned and this one is certainly in my opinion one of the best expressions available from them..

Bottled at a batch strength of 55.5% this is certainly excellent value for money and when compared to other bottlings it stands right up there with the bargains available..

With the introduction of the single casks and a couple of very high end bottlings of late and higher prices for these I stand by the fact this and the sister release of the Select cask ( unpeated ) are probably the best value for money in the range..

Superb whisky at a superb price ..