Paul John Edited (46%, OB, 2018)

• Category: Indian single malt scotch whisky
• Origin:  Paul John distillery
• Bottling: Paul John, OB
• ABV: 46%
• Cost: £38.83

Image courtesy of Master of Malt

What they say

https://pauljohnwhisky.com/en/singlemalt/brilliance

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.

Official tasting notes:

• Colour: Amber gold.
• Nose: Honey and cocoa are laced with a hint of smokiness and a shot of espresso. A deeper whiff reveals fruity fragrances.
• Palate: The grassy flavours of barley show up first, but gently make way for subtle peat notes. They slowly dissolve and pave the way for a rush of mint and mocha.
• Finish: The finish is long and drawn out. You can sense a hint of spice and chocolate mint as it ends on gentle peat notes.
• Pairing: The hints of peat and chocolate mint in this Single Malt are perfect with a mildly spiced lamb stew, or even dark chocolate.

What I say

Revisited during Livingston Whisky Club Paul John Tasting hosted by their brand ambassador Shilton Almeida on 3rd August 2018. Dram #3 was this Edited expression from their Flagship range.

For their Peated expression Paul John decided to import peat from both Islay and Highland regions of Scotland – used separately to kiln dry either Islay-peated or Highland-peated Himalayan 6 row barley, distilled and matured separately. This Edited expression is made by marrying together unpeated (i.e. Brilliance) stock with 35 ppm Highland-peated or Islay-peated stock at a ratio 3:1 to produce whisky of ~ 10 ppm in the bottle i.e. ‘lightly-peated’. All matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks for around 5-6 years.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Orange gold (10/20), medium-large tears and medium legs.
• Nose: Toffee sweet, slightly peaty, reminscent of cigarette smoke, quite dry smoke with mossy and menthol elements, a little grassy or heathery, cereal barley malt.
• Taste: Nutty, marzipan, herbal and menthol, highland-peat like or as someone nailed it ‘Highland Park’ like, grassy, heather, barley malt, earthy mint leaves and mid-dark chocolate.
• Finish: Long, reflux and spirity due to the peat influence herbal and menthol-like.

Overall

Tried previously but I hadn’t managed to write up notes. I do remember being taken aback by how ‘peaty’ this one seemed but I recognize this now as that herby/heathery and mentholic peat which I sometimes find a little challenging in Highland Park expressions. Presented well here it fits right into the sweet and malty Paul John (much as HP’s maltiness often rescues their expressions on my palate too). A wonderful blending together of Scotch and Indian single malt palates, sweet, malty, minty and peaty.

Score 85/100

Don’t take my word for it:

TOModera’s Whisky Reviews Paul John Edited

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