Paul John 6 Years Old 2011 Small Batch (56.6%, Cadenheads, 564 Bottles, 2018)

• ABV: 56.6%
• Age: 6 Years Old
• Bottling: Cadenheads small batch, 1 Bourbon Barrel & 1 Bourbon HH
• Category: Indian single malt whisky
• Cost: £?
• Origin: Paul John distillery
• Vintage: 2011

What they say

A vatting of five different casks of Paul John; 3 peated and 2 unpeated that were vatted together and returned to a cask from which we obtained one hogshead and one barrel.

Official tasting notes:

Nose: Green apples, hints of cinammon, caramel.

Flavour: Chewy toffee, slight smokiness builds up. Oiliness coats the mouth.

Finish: Orange zest. Smoke continues then rye notes come through.

What I say

Dram #4 from WOLS 2020 T7 International Tasting. Funky and malty, at first nose I wondered if this was from Balcones but pretty soon I had my head into Paul John peated expressions or perhaps one of their mixtures – finally I got one right! Apparently a happy mistake, a vatting together of peated and unpeated Paul John distillate, this spent 6 years in India and 1 in Campbeltown.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Dark golden brown (16/20), large tears and thick legs.
• Nose: Woody and smokey, meaty bacon, sappy pine and cedar wood, some oak, sweet with clove and mint leaf.
• Taste: Medium-bodied, spicy cinnamon, bubblegum, pepper, caramel and dark fruits, chilli heat, peppercorns, woody tannins, peanut brittle and herbal mint
• Finish: medium-long, sweet molasses, toffee, touch medicinal and menthol.

Overall

Definitely peated but plenty of other powerful maturation notes going on in this one too, didn’t pick up on the ABV but it tasted right even at this strength – typical of Indian whiskies.

Score 84/100

Don’t take my word for it:

TOModera Whisky Reviews Paul John Small Batch

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