A whisky label from India has been in the news for winning at a prestigious drinks competition recently. Indri Diwali Collector’s Edition 2023 bagged the title of the ‘best whisky in the world’ at the worldwide competition, Whiskies of the World Awards that’s hosted annually in the United States. It beat hundreds of brands to win top honours. The drinks are judged based on aromatics, flavour and finish.
“It is a peated Indian single malt made with six-row barley, distilled in traditional copper pot stills crafted in India,” reads a description on the product’s website indri.in. The dram is matured in PX Sherry Casks. These are casks used to make sherry wines from the sweet Pedro Ximenez (PX) grapes. These are also used to mature whiskies and bourbons. Perhaps it lends the flavour of sweet candied fruit to the limited edition Indri’s Diwali bottle. The other flavours notes, according to the website, are ‘toasted nuts, subtle spices, oak and bittersweet chocolate.’
Indri is one of the newest and most popular made-in-India whisky labels. In a matter of two years it has caught the attention of aficionados for winning multiple awards. The brand launched in November 2021. The first bottle Indri Trini, borrows its name from a village named Indri in Haryana. It is the location of its distillery, owned by the hospitality and entertainment group Piccadily. The single malt, Indri Trini, was awarded a Silver in the International Wine and Spirits Competition 2022. Also, it won at the World Whiskey Awards and Dom Roskrow’s New Wizards Awards, within a few months of launching. In May this year, it received a gold medal at the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition.
Describing the taste of Indri Trini, sommelier Nikhil Agarwal wrote in a Lounge story, “Gentle and mellow on the nose. Hints of black tea, caramelised pineapple with a whiff of oak comes forward, followed by vanilla and honey from the bourbon oak and traces of spiced tannins from the European oak, finally topped up with vinous raisin and sweet sherry notes. Elegant richness, smooth and warm on the sides of the mouth. Gentle spice and woody characteristics. A subtle and balanced finish.”
