Amrut Fusion Single Malt

Amrut Fusion is an Indian single malt from Karnataka, bottled at 50% ABV. It's a vatting of malted barley from two sources, Indian and Scottish (peated), which is where the name comes from. Indian barley is typically sweeter and rounder, and the Scottish portion brings a measure of smoke. Together they make a malt that's fruit and spice forward, with the peat sitting underneath. Bangalore's warm climate matures whisky quickly, so single malts from this region tend to show oak influence, spice and dark sweetness early on. Treat the specifics below as what to expect from the style and the blend, not a measured tasting profile for this bottle. On the nose, expect malt and baked-fruit sweetness first, with vanilla and toasted oak, then a wisp of peat smoke rather than a heavy coastal blast. On the palate, a malt blended this way usually delivers honeyed barley, orchard and dried fruit, and warming baking spice, with the smoke emerging more toward the finish. At 50% the texture is full and a little oily, and the finish tends to run long. Neat is the best place to start, since the strength lets the fruit and smoke unfold without dilution. If the alcohol feels tight, add a few drops of room-temperature water. That loosens the spirit and tends to bring out the sweeter malt and fruit while softening the heat. Ice is less suited to this bottle, because chilling flattens the aromatics and mutes the peat. If you want it cold, one large cube melts slowly and does the least harm. A Glencairn is the right glass for the first pour. The tapered bowl gathers the smoke and fruit so you can pick out the layers before you taste. For slower sipping with a drop of water or a single large cube, use a rocks glass. In cocktails, the smoke and 50% strength make it a good Old Fashioned base, where a sugar cube, bitters and an orange peel play off the spice. It also works in a Rob Roy, the Scotch-style Manhattan, with sweet vermouth and aromatic bitters. For a Highball, pour over plenty of ice, top with chilled soda at about three parts to one, and finish with a lemon twist. A Whiskey Sour will carry it too, though you'd be using a lot of the bottle's nuance on the citrus.