Terroir may not have as big an effect on whisky as it does on wine. There are, after all, consistent oxidation, drying, cask-ageing and finishing processes no matter where you are in the world. Yet the hand nature deals allows for some interesting variations while demanding ingenious solutions.
Take Amrut from Bangalore, India, which has recently looked outside its burgeoning domestic market to a thirsty rest of the world. The scorching climate means biological processes such as ageing occur much faster, and that the “angel’s share” – the amount of whisky lost to evaporation – is disproportionately high. It does open the door for some wacky twists in production, however.
(Related: Bordeaux winemakers cheer heatwave: superior vintage possible)
“Amrut Spectrum, made in small batches, sells out almost instantly here,” says Joseph Seah, beverage manager of La Maison Du Whisky. The Spectrum, after all, was quick-aged in “mutant” casks made from American, French and Spanish wood, along with two different ex-sherry variants. “Customers love what (these brands) are doing, because they’re very experimental and daring – and they offer very, very good value on the bottle.”
There’s no better time to build an atlas of whisky – here are seven notable bottlings to start your odyssey.
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35th Best List - Global Whisky
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AMERICA – Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
A straight-laced gateway bourbon to the sprawling world of American whiskey, Maker’s Mark bottles come sealed with the eponymous red wax, which makes breaking one open an appreciable ritual for the dinner guests. The use of red winter wheat, grown in the States, in place of spicier rye, results in a smooth, rounded finish after the inevitable tang from corn.
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AUSTRALIA – Starward Nova (2018 or earlier)
Young distilleries take time to find their feet, but Melbourne-based Starward’s crossing the tightrope at an eyebrow-raising pace, having already landed two top-of-class accolades at the World Whisky Awards. The X-factor? Ageing in Australian wine casks – Shiraz in particular – as opposed to buying the usual sherry casks from halfway around the world. Early reviews indicate a misstep with the 2019 Nova, so we’d advise searching for earlier batches.
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FRANCE – Brenne Ten Single Malt
As prolific as France is in the wine department, its whisky scene is only nascent. Among the first distilleries to bear fruit is Brenne, located in Cognac. The process is as French as it gets – the barley’s grown on the estate, the yeast and stills used are the same as that in cognac production, and the ageing is done in cognac casks made from French wood. The result’s a creamy, fruit-forward and nutty liquid perfect for a nightcap.
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INDIA – Amrut Fusion
Producers in the country thirstiest for whisky have finally taken aim at exporting. Stellar bottles out of Amrut Distillery in Bangalore have already nabbed international awards. For a taste of the locale, however, go for Amrut Fusion, a 97-pointer that is three parts Indian barley to one part peated Scottish. The combination yields tropical, citrusy notes heavy with spices with the usual peat and oak.
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JAPAN – Fuji-Gotemba 25 Years Small Batch Grain
Japanese whiskies have been hot property for years, but Yamazaki is just the tip of the distillery iceberg, or in this case, mountain. This Shizuoka-based distillery affords you the chance to sip on melted snow from Mount Fuji, while the lushness around the mountain base constitutes floral notes to the final product.
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SCOTLAND – Bruichladdich Port Charlotte
Rain-lashed Islay, off Scotland’s west coast, is home to swathes of bog land laced with wind-borne sea salt and tendrils of seaweed. The resultant peat, when burned, bears a signature pungency that imparts intense smokiness and minerality to malt during the drying process. Only two Islay distilleries work with local-grown barley, the more established being Bruichladdich. The result? Lighter and sweeter notes than going with mainland crops.
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TAIWAN – Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique
Less than a decade ago, Taiwanese whisky would be scoffed out of any serious buyer’s hall. Then Kavalan broke onto the scene in 2012, stealing old-world thunder and pegging “Whisky of the Year” in Jim Murray’s The Whisky Bible. While the equipment, barley and casks are shipped in, the tepid weather and top-grade spring water in Taiwan’s Yilan County has proven key in producing award-winning whiskies. The former accelerates ageing processes, and the latter contributes to the brand’s signature sweetness.
(Related: Wine in Douro Valley: looking beyond port)
(Related: Whisky bars in Singapore: where to try new drams)
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