Whisky Ladies World Tour – Niko’s Single Malt 41%

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Giving whisky as a gift is nothing new. However, being given a whisky crafted just for you! And that too for your birthday? Now that is singular.

In 2024, our Whisky Ladies hostess was presented with a bottle of “Niko’s Single Malt” from the good folks behind Stranger and Sons. We are no strangers to their fabulous gins – the standard, the special Perry Road Peru collaboration with Bombay Canteen, and even their oak-matured gin experiment.

We tasted blind – knowing nothing about this whisky beyond who gifted it to our hostess!

Niko’s Single Malt

  • Nose – Warm, sweet, spices like cinnamon, cloves, some candied ginger, woody, an almost Cognac-like quality, joined by dried cranberries, rose, crème brûlée, resin, fruit like peach or an apricot pit, maritime sea salt spray
  • Palate – Oh wow! Really yummy! More of the sweet spices, joined by coriander, black cardamom, wood forward, great mouthfeel, oily, salted black licorice
  • Finish – Warming, long, lingering, closing on salted caramel

This was a very “full” whisky. Lots of rich aromas, flavours, and a fabulous finish. Like other whiskies matured in warm climates, there was a concentrated quality to all the different elements too.

We speculated about the ABV and thought it must be around 46% – surprisingly, we later discovered it was only 41%!

What more do we (now) know? After the session, Niko asked for more details, and the following was shared:

  • Type: Custom blended Indian single malt whisky
  • ABV: 41%
  • ⁠Composition: Blend of 4-year, 5-year, and 7-year old single malts
  • Maturation: All components matured in ex-bourbon casks
  • The 4-year-old whisky received additional maturation in a charred barrel (double matured)
  • Origin: All three malts came from casks purchased from a distillery in South India (likely Karnataka)
  • Final Resting Period: The casks were moved to Goa, where they rested for approximately 10-12 months before bottling
  • Other: According to the bottler, this final period is unlikely to have significantly altered the whisky’s character

What a brilliant start to our trip around the whisky world with Niko!

This particular evening was like a trip around the world!

  • India’s Undisclosed “Niko’s Single Malt” 4 year (2024) 41%
  • South Korea’s Ki One “Unicorn” (2025) 46%
  • Denmark’s Thy 5 year (2025) PX & Oloroso 51.5%

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Whisky Ladies Global Tour! Niko’s, Ki-One, Thy

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Some evenings remind me why tasting groups are so special. In our case, with the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai, many of us have enjoyed evenings together for a decade-plus. We’ve traversed the globe, sampling whiskies from Iceland to Tasmania, from traditional, mature Scottish drams to upstart experiments that wouldn’t meet Scottish standards to even be called whisky!

This particular evening was a whisky world tour, focused on three different yet complementary expressions:

It was a perfect progression – from a concentrated undisclosed Indian single malt, to an elegant, beautiful, lightly peated “Unicorn” from South Korea, we closed on a powerful yet nuanced Danish dram.

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2025 Whisky Show – Norway’s Bivrost

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I come from a cold part of the world. It is quite common to reach -35 to -40 °C in the winter. As glorious as the summers with ~18 hours of sunshine, the winters are long and dark. And yet we have a reward – the most spectacular skies that occasionally have the most remarkable light show with the Aurora Borealis.

However, real, serious cold belongs to the Arctic. Not exactly optimal whisky-making conditions… or are they? We were curious to learn more at Norway’s Aurora Spirit Distillery with their Bivrost whiskies in the Nordic section of the 2025 London Whisky Show.

Bivrost is named for the Aurora Borealis, and is reputed to be the world’s northernmost distillery. Made with Nordic malted barley, glacial meltwater, and aged in a wooden Viking longhouse at freezing temperatures, the result is something rather interesting in the bottle.

  • Bivrost Yggdrasil (2025) 46%
  • Bivrost Heim Dallr (Coming Soon) 50%
  • Bivrost Vanaheim (2023) Teak Cask Finish 46%
  • Bivrost Peated Oloroso 50%

First up, we were directed to try Yggdrasil – part of their core range.

 Bivrost Yggdrasil (2025) 46%

  • Nose – Fresh, subtle peat greeted us, with some dried fruits
  • Palate – Very approachable, gentle, apple cider, toast, toffee, and a touch of smoke
  • Finish – Medium

This expression is aged in a combination of Oloroso and in-house charred casks, matured between 4 to 6 years. The name Yggdrasil is from Norse mythology – a mighty ash tree, holding the nine worlds, held together by its branches.

Aurora Heimdallr (Coming Soon) 50%

  • Nose – It was quite herbal, almost floral – think farangipani! Then revealed fresh fruits (peach or apricot?), a drizzle of honey, nuts, and something else – surprisingly I began to think of honey nut corn flakes!
  • Palate – Sage, wood, almond, and some cinnamon buns too! It had fresh element too, some black pepper joining the sweetness
  • Finish – Dry with a touch of salt

The inaugural bottle from their new Aesir series, we had a chance to try before its official launch. It was matured in Rye and Amontillado seasoned casks. Though a potentially powerful 50%, it was surprisingly balanced and approachable.

Bivrost Vanaheim (2023) 46% 3506 Bottles

  • Nose – Very distinctive – fruits, nuts, honey
  • Palate – Softer than expected… it was like hot fresh cinnamon buns, then shifted into turkish delight, followed by apple cider
  • Finish – Herbal with a hint of spice

Matured in Bourbon, Sherry, and Brazilian Teak casks, Vanaheim is the 7th in their “Nine Worlds of Norse Mythology” series. It was the home of the Vanir – with Njord ruling the winds, sea, and fire, father of Freyer, the god of peace and pleasure, and Freya, goddess of love, beatuy, and fertiity. The bottles ….

Aurora Cask Sample – Peated Oloroso 50%

  • Nose – Peat and sweet – a perfect combination!
  • Palate – Balanced yet also a complete bonfire! We were whisked away to a campsite by a lake
  • Finish – Medium

Our final bottle ventured into a more robust peat than the Yggdrasil. It was a cask sample, not yet released, so you won’t find any tasting notes on their website – yet!

And there you have it – an introduction to a Bivrost quartet.

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2025 Whisky Show – Finland’s Teerenpeli

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We are no strangers to whiskies from Finland and were delighted to explore more in the Nordic section of the 2025 London Whisky Show!

I remember being introduced to the Teerenpeli 10 year more than a decade ago, courtesy of the team at The Whisky Exchange. I was looking for something different, possibly European, and this dram more than fit the bill!

Fast forward, and the good folks at Teerenpeli continue to put out a more than respectable range of expressions. Here is what we covered in our brief sniff and swish of Teerenpeli:

  • Teerenpeli Soidin 40% ~GBP 50 for 500 ml
  • Teerenpeli Kulo 7 year 50.7%
  • Teerenpeli 15 year 54.9% ~GBP 100 for 500 ml
  • Teerenpeli Savu 43% ~GBP 50 for 500 ml

Teerenpeli Soidin 40%

  • Nose – A lovely lady, lush, sherry, sweet
  • Palate – Sweet, balanced, soft, well-rounded, yet clear sherry influence
  • Finish – Lovely, light, and lingering

This sherry-matured opening act was inspired by the “dramatic mating rituals of the Nordic nature” – the dance of the birds was mentioned. Launched at the 2025 London Whisky Show,

Teerenpeli Kulo 7 year Sherry 50.7%

  • Nose – Delicious dark berries, robust Sherry, whisky-soaked raisins, caramel, a touch of mocha
  • Palate – Flavour balanced between sweet and spice, red velvet cake, dates, blackcurrant
  • Finish – A warm embrace of spice

This is like the big brother of the Soidin. With even more pronounced Sherry influence – likely both PX and Oloroso.

Teerenpeli 15 year 54.9%

  • Nose – Baked apple pie, cinnamon, and cloves, caramel, vanilla
  • Palate – Juicy apples, well-rounded, mature
  • Finish – Surprisingly light

This single malt was matured for 15+ years in 65% bourbon and 35% sherry casks. In our humble opinion? It was worth the wait.

Teerenpeli Savu 43%

  • Nose – Soft peat, sherry sweet, caramel apples
  • Palate – Smooth, gentle peat, lovely balance between sweet and peat
  • Finish – Dry

Using peated malted barley, Savu was matured in 80% bourbon and 20% Pedro Ximénez casks.

And there you have it! A rather good quartet from the folks at Teerenpeli.

Our other brushes with Teerenpeli centred on two expressions:

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Whisky Ladies’s Organic+ with Benromach Organic 46%, Nc’Nean 46%, GlenDronach Peated 48%

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I totally admit it, I was exhausted. An extra-long set of three flights back from Canada – the last of which was nearly 14 hours on the plane! Yup! That’s what happens when flying during monsoon, needing to refuel in another city before finally touching down in Mumbai. And yet it was worth it to join the Whisky Ladies latest evening!

We began with a calibration dram – something already open to get us in the mood for the malts to come! And this was no mild, neutral dram… no siree! The name “Vengeance” alone was a pretty clear indication it would be a ‘wake-up’ call rather than gently ‘easing into’ our evening of tasting.

It was a new expression to me. Vengeance X is from the Wakatsuru Saburomaru Distillery in Japan, and is a collaboration of Saburomaru x Shin Megami Tensei V and is a blend with another undisclosed distillery, combining sherry and red wine casks with peat. In our mini pour, here is what we found…

Vengeance X Blended Whisky 46%

  • Nose – Heady! Heavy sherry, rum, and brandy… then shifted from a mix of alcohols to sweet Nescafe, dark molasses, super sweet, cherry candies
  • Palate    – Surprisingly prickly. Dark sherry, heavy wood, peat
  • Finish    – Lingers, rich and resinous

It was much more powerful than a mere 46% indicated. With a start like this, we were indeed awake for the coming attractions!

We then moved on to our featured trio. There was an organic element in the equation, with each bottle carefully chosen from recent trips.

  • Benromach 9 year (2014 – 2023) Contrasts Organic 46%
  • Nc’Nean Organic (lot BH08) 46%
  • GlenDronach Traditionally Peated 48%

We began with the Benromach… a twist on the traditional with their “Contrasts Organic” expression, which is matured in virgin American oak barrels with organic barley.

Benromach 9 year (2014 – 2023) Contrasts Organic 46%

  • Nose – Surprisingly light at first. Leafy, green peppercorn, dried ginger, vanilla, honeysuckle, wood, nutmeg, cloves, and then minerals
  • Palate – Wow! All the big bold flavours were on the palate – from chilli, to banana, coffee, and coconut, honey, and capsicum – a real mix and range of contrasting elements
  • Finish – Bitter aftertaste initially, some tobacco leaf, some even found a bit of sawdust

I found this Benromach expression differs from what I normally associate with this distillery. This is likely due to their use of virgin oak barrels instead of their normal ex-Bourbon and sherry casks – sometimes with a touch of peat too.

Next up, we shifted to a newer player with Nc’Nean. I first encountered Nc’Nean in Nürnberg, Germany, during the February 2020 “The Village” whisky messe as part of their early launch activities. I’ve since had a chance to sample a few different batches of their core Organic Single Malt expression and the Huntress expression – Orchard Cobbler plus their Quiet Rebels line with Gordon. I had even purchased a bottle in 2022 to bring back for the Whisky Ladies! As it turns out, that particular bottle became a gift for a friend before I could host a session. So I was delighted the ladies had a chance to try this whisky… which has a truly beautiful bottle!

Nc’Nean Organic (lot BH08) 46%

  • Nose – Cod liver oil, medicinal, overripe gruit, then became fruitier, some moss, honey citrus, hard round candies, orange peel… After considerable time, it opened up into light hay then gentle flowers
  • Palate – Initially also medicinal, fire, rough and raw – hot! It was young and brash. Then, as it sat in the glass, it began to morph… think a peppery candy…
  • Finish – Salty then candy sweet!

From fishy to fruity and then remarkably from fruity to floral! Whilst it wasn’t the top pick of the trio, it was worth trying!

We closed with GlenDronach – which I normally associate with rich sherry, not peat. In this case, the barley was peated and then matured in PX and Oloroso sherry casks, as well as Port.

GlenDronach Traditionally Peated 48%

  • Nose – Rich mocha,
  • Palate – Concentrated dry fruits, lots of dates especially. Molasses, a curiously “juicy” peat, and also very sweet. Cherry pits, loads of caramel and smoke, more of that mocha, apricots
  • Finish – Bitter, wood that fades, left a minty paan-like aftertaste

It had a wonderful flavour profile – full-bodied, rich, yet not overpowering. There was a really interesting quality to this expression – one described it as a smoky liqueur – given it was both incredibly sweet and most definitely peated!

With the revisit after some time, it had a delightful ‘roasted’ quality, shifted into a delicious maple bacon / smoked meats dimension that many of us really enjoy in our peaty drams.

For most of the ladies, the GlenDronach was the clear favourite, followed by the Benromach, with the Nc’Nean lagging behind.

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BMC House of Dragons – Penderyn Hireath, Kavalan Grand Reserve 1 and 2

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The host for our Bombay Malt and Cigar evening decided the whisky tasting theme would be “House of Dragons” with a rather clever mix of Wales and Taiwan. Represented by distilleries we’ve had more than an evening or two exploring – yet never together in this way.

Here’s what was selected for our celebration of Dragons:

  • Penderyn Hireath 46%
  • Kavalan Grand Reserve No. 1 Amontillado Sherry 40%
  • Kavalan Grand Reserve No. 2 Madeira & Port 40%

Up first was a limited-edition from Penderyn distillery in Wales. We’ve tasted several Penderyn expressions – including their Penderyn Dragon range – Legend, Myth, Celt 41%. So what did we think of their “Hireath”?

Penderyn Hireath (2021) 46% – Icon of Wales #8

  • Nose – Nice and juicy, lots of orange sherbet, a bit like an orange cream stick! Floral – predominantly jasmine, some balsa wood and pine, pink and white striped peppermint candy, overall light and fruity
  • Palate – Nice spice, warming, young, and wood forward
  • Finish – Light

Overall, it was pleasant, whilst not complex, not all whiskies need to be!

With the revisit, we found nibs candies, pineapple, and just very sweet.

Here’s what the folks at Penderyn have to say about this expression:

The 8th in our ‘Icons of Wales’ series was launched in December 2021 and commemorates the wonderful Welsh word, ‘Hiraeth’. Difficult to translate into English, some say ‘yearning’ or ‘homesickness’, but the BBC’s Roy Noble summed it up very nicely as: “a longing for your homeland, your heritage and your very being”.

This whisky is an ex-Bourbon cask finish and is bottled at 46% abv, and is the first time Penderyn have released a core range single malt using mainly spirit from the pot stills, which we introduced in 2014.

TASTING NOTES

  • Nose: Elegant and floral with light oak notes, vanilla, raisins, toffee apples, citrus peel and a hint of lime.
  • Taste: A delicate smooth single malt with honeyed fruits, vanilla, cinnamon spice and a hint of nutmeg.
  • Finish: Soft honey and vanilla notes fade to a malty finish.

It was a good start to our evening of dragons!

Next up was a travel retail pair from Taiwan’s Kavalan. In the past, we’ve explored their cask strength single cask Solist line, however, this time we went for the more commercially accessible range.

Kavalan Grand Reserve No. 1 Amontillado Sherry 40%

  • Nose – Stewed plum, quite Christmasy, lots of booze soaked raisins, sherry-forward with some tannins too
  • Palate – Very woody – almost too much.
  • Finish – Very dry, wood varnish, bitter
  • Water – It may seem strange to add a few drops of water to a whisky that is already at the lowest permitted ABV of 40%. However, it was so heavy that we had to try! And it helped a bit – subdued the raisins, enabled some apricots to come forward

We don’t normally comment on colour – however, this was such a remarkable dark ruby that it was worth noting, as it matched the intensity of flavours.

What do the official tasting notes say?

Rich notes of apricot jam, dried berries,  and creamy caramel

I’d say yes to the dried berries, with water also the apricot jam, however, despite the sweetness, it wasn’t exactly creamy!

So what about the 2nd Grand Reserve?

Kavalan Grand Reserve No. 2 Madeira & Port 40%

  • Nose – Soaked alcohol prunes, green fruits like gooseberry, ground cherries, some sweet and some sour, sharp yet also honeyed, marzipaan, sugar-covered cherries, powdered sugar… that with water revealed some light maple syrup
  • Palate – Tart, cherry pits, woody, thin
  • Finish – Bitter, cigar
  • Water – It was missing something until we added water, then the Madeira and Port influences came forward

In many ways, it started out quite similar to the 1st Grand Reserve. However, with water, it was sweeter and more approachable.

Here are the official tasting notes:

Rich notes of maple syrup, toasted walnut, and woody undertones

For the most part, we would agree with the tasting notes.

And there you have it, another evening of enjoyment exploring whiskies with friends!

Curious about other experiences? Just check out these whiskies we’ve tasted from Penderyn and Kavalan.

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2025 Whisky Show – Lowland’s Annandale Man O’Words

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At London’s Whisky Show, some stands we did a quick pit stop… others we found ourselves lingering… exploring as much as we could. That’s what we did at Annandale with their unpeated “Man O’Words” range, intending to come back for the “Man O’Swords” peated range later. 

For those not familiar, this Lowland distillery has a checkered history. Tracing its origins to 1836, it changed hands in 1893 and then struggled post-World War I, closing in 1924. It was then revived by David Thomson and Teresa Church from 2007 to 2014, when it laid its first cask.

As for what we sampled?

  • Annandale Ex Bourbon Cask 812 (2018/2023) 59.5%
  • Annandale 10 year Cask 125 58.8%
  • Annandale Double Oaked Ex Bourbon Cask 504 (2018/2025) 59.8%
  • Annandale STR Ex-Red Wine Cask 335 (2017/2025) 59.6%
  • Annandale Olorosso Cask 1022 (2017/2023) 61.1%
  • Annandale Ex-Fino Cask 396 (2018/2025) 61.1%

Next up, was a special bottle aged for 10 years. It had the same fun fruit as the 5 year, however, everything was amped up. On the palate, it was robust and yet also more balanced and smooth than its younger expression, with a nice sweet spice tail.

Annandale Double Oaked Ex Bourbon Cask 504 (2018/2025) 59.8%

Pronounced old fruits and sweet spices on the nose. Deeper palate, with toast, almost like having “meat on the bones’, some tannins closing on a woody note.

Annandale STR Ex-Red Wine Cask 335 (2017/2025) 59.6%

What a difference the STR made! It was bursting with juicy red berries and baked bread, then shifted into a forest. On the palate, there was so much going on with a huge finish.

Annandale Olorosso Cask 1022 (2017/2023) 61.1% Bottle 487

Lots of fruits, all the lovely sherry elements of dried fruits, sweet spices, and more. On the palate, it was heavy with Christmas plum cake and spices. The finish was equally powerful. We added a few drops, and it transformed the whisky! From being almost overwhelming to joyful, juicy fruits – delicious!

Annandale Ex-Fino Cask 396 (2018/2025) 61.1%

Very approachable, dried raisins, plum sauce, and sweet spices.

What fun! Though these were just teasers, I’d love to explore more….

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2025 Whisky Show – Canada’s Macaloney’s

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I don’t normally think of trying something Canadian at London’s Whisky Show. And yet there I found myself checking out some offerings from Macalooney’s from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada! 

What more do we know? It was founded in 2016 by a Scottish-born expatriate Dr. Graeme Macaloney. Graeme brought on the legendary late Dr. Jim Swan to advise the set-up, alongside veteran Master Distiller Mike Nicolson, whose resume spans over 18 iconic Scottish distilleries, including Lagavulin and Glenkinchie. The distillery was built to produce triple-distilled pot-still single malts using a mix of Scottish and Irish methods, augmented by their Canadian environment.

Their mascot is a cheeky marmot named Pete! And Vancouver Island plays a key role in bringing a maritime climate, local British Columbia barley, with experiments using local peat – including kelp-infused peat.

Feathers were ruffled with the Scotch Whisky Association over naming the distillery Caledonian and using his Scottish family name: Macaloney. The final verdict? They could retain the family name as a brand – just as Macaloney’s! 

More recently, the distillery had a change in leadership with Margaret Rygiel taking over as CEO, whilst Macaloney continues to focus on the whisky production.

We started off with an unpeated expression before diving into a peated one.

So what did we think?

Macaloney’s Kildara Batch 6 (Dec 2023) 46% Bottle 493 or 604

  • Nose – Some dried fruits, cream with a touch of vanilla, sweet spices, and a hint of tobacco
  • Palate – Fruity, fun, and dessert in a glass
  • Finish – From dried fruits to nuts

I found it fun, a lovely dessert dram, easy to enjoy.

What more do we know? It is triple distilled, then matured in a mix of Kentucky Bourbon, Spanish Oloroso, Virgin American Oak, and Spanish Pedro Ximénez casks.

Here is what they have to say about this expression:

Abundant tropical fruits include candied orange, dried apricot, figs, ripe blackberries, blackcurrant jam, dried raisins and roasted nuts. The complexity continues with barley, malt and dried hay, butterscotch, milk chocolate, light tobacco and ocean breeze.

The palate is velvety-soft, resplendent with full bodied Sherry and tropical fruit. Oatmeal develops to oak spices, coffee, dark chocolate orange, nectarines, stewed plums, blackcurrant, red currant and sultanas, coming together as sweet dark fruitcake and honey. The finish presents dried fruit with a hint of salt and dulse, lingering oak and more Sherry, ending with hazelnut and almond raspberry pie with a drizzle of dark chocolate.

As usual, we had only a light sniff, swish, and spit, so I can’t really say if we completely agree with the official tasting notes. However, it was an interesting glimpse into a Canadian single malt.

Macaloney’s Peat Project Cask 456 (June 2024) Sugar Kelp infused Peat, Portuguese Red Wine STR Barrique 46% Bottle 158 of 355

  • Nose – Nuanced smoke and sweet, seaside breeze
  • Palate – Balanced peat, woods, creamy sweet, fruits, delicious
  • Finish – Medium

There was something distinctly different about this one. The Peat Project was my tasting companion’s favourite, whilst I leaned slightly towards the frivolous fun of Kildara. However, both were worth sampling.

Here’s what they have to say about this special edition:

Distilled using local British Columbia barley peat-smoked at our distillery to 54 ppm with local Washington State peat infused with sugar-kelp seaweed harvest by First Nations. It was then fully matured in a carefully selected ex-Bourbon cask, blanketed with fresh maritime island air.

The nose has fresh sea breeze and beach-wood bonfire followed by ice cream soda, barley wine, sherbet, ripe peat, banana and red currants.

It opens to vanilla fudge, white chocolate, Brazil nuts, green cardamom and sandal wood.

The palate is sweet, creamy and viscous (with great legs) with sugar kelp, sweet bonfire smoke and beach tangle.

To be honest, I wish we had also tried the other expressions on offer. Something to look forward to, hopefully, another chance to stumble upon some more Macaloney’s whiskies!

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BMC Mexican Corn Whiskey: Juan del Campo, Sierre Norte, Prieto y Prieta

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When you think of the world of whisky, Scotland dominates, with Japan, Ireland, and a smattering of other countries also popping up on the radar. And when it comes to the Americas? The first assumption is American bourbons, perhaps a Canadian rye, but further south of the border? Nothing tends to come to mind.

And yet, if you’ve been following the world of spirits lately, you might discover that Mexico is quietly staging a grain-forward revolution. Beyond the smoke of mezcal and the bright crispness of tequila lies a treasure trove of ancient heirloom grains…

An intrepid tasting club member put his liver to the test, going deep into the world of Mexican corn whisky. He lost count of the distilleries and expressions sampled, selecting just three bottles to bring back to Mumbai for our edification.

We began with an offering from Juan del Campo, who treat corn with the same reverence a single-malt distillery treats barley, going so far as to put the exact details of the Creole corn breed, the farmer, and the harvest year right on the bottle!

Juan del Campo Maiz 42%

  • Nose – Initially quite sour, then sweet, savoury, and some spice too! It had quite a distinctive “khatta meetha masala” vibe. It also reminded me a bit of grape cola, and my tasting companions of kala khatta, then revealed a hint of walnut
  • Palate – Orange spice tea, syrupy
  • Finish – A touch bitter with more of that nutty element
  • Water – Amps up the spice with cayenne, less orange on the nose, more orange on the palate

With the revisit, it had more of a raw-grain element, was slightly sour, and even a bit marshmallow-sweet on the nose!

Not a bad start. Whilst it wouldn’t be a first choice in a bar, it was very interesting to try.

We continued with a trip to the Sierra Norte mountains… Sierra Norte has been a trailblazer in showcasing Oaxacan heirloom corn varietals. Their Yellow Corn expression—aged remarkably well for a young spirit in French oak—is considered one of the most harmonious and complex in their colorful lineup.

What did we think?

Sierra Norte Yellow Corn 45% Lot 70, Barrel 9 of 27, 156 bottles

  • Nose – Varnish, then an old fashioned kind of rose petal perfume that then shifted into lily attar, with more time in the glass, the perfumes were joined by dolce de luca or a cheeters condensed milk! It then shifted to sour yoghurt or baby puke, then to sweet woods, spice, slightly sour, a bit funky, then tinned peaches and peach pits
  • Palate – Hmmm…. not sure about this… started off quite peculiar, lots of gooseberry with some cherry stone and maiz
  • Finish – Almost none at first, then after more time in the glass, it was very dry, resinous, and became even sweeter

Yet a funny thing started to happen… the more we sniffed and sipped, the more it opened up, becoming increasingly approachable, then enjoyable. I later tried it in a cocktail with lime bitters, a touch of agave syrup, and triple sec – and rather enjoyed this refreshing and fun cocktail!

We concluded that Sierra Norte was the most accessible of the trio.

Which brings us to the most off-beat of the three corn whiskies!

Born from a partnership between a Basque cooperage expert and the founder of Mezcal Koch, Prieto y Prieta is a tribute to indigenous roots. They use an organic field blend of four distinct endemic Oaxacan corn types: white and yellow (for sweetness) alongside red and purple (for deep, savory umami).

Prieto y Prieta 43%

  • Nose – How curious! It was much more like Campari than whisky. A touch of cherry cough syrup, a sweet liqueur with loads of orange – the peel and a squirt of the juice! Think of a citrus herb schnapps
  • Palate – Antiseptic, still had the liquor, yet now more like a Benedictine Brandy, a bit bitter, a distinctive dirt
  • Finish – Cumin, clove, penicillin, very different

The more we contemplated this whisky, the more it demonstrated just how atypical it is! The lasting impression was of dirt and a schnapps jaal jeera! Not at all like a whisky. Very unusual in all respects. What more do we know? It was matured in ex-Sherry, French, and American oak barrels. With such standard wood, it was clearly the corn that made all the difference!

Overall, what did we think? Well, Mexican corn whisky isn’t trying to be Bourbon, and it isn’t trying to be Scotch. By leaning into its agricultural heritage with corn, these distilleries are capturing a completely new, unique sense of place. And the only way to know if you like the results is to try!

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Whisky Lady – April til June 2026

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This quarter was a nice mix of new and catch-up whisky posts. I keep a small notebook for my whisky tasting scribbles. A book typically covers around 2 – 3 years’ worth of experiences. As I cracked open my new book, I challenged myself to try before this quarter’s end, to finish writing all the tasting experiences captured in my old book. As this blog is purely for pleasure and not profit, I don’t tend to set deadlines, however, I hoped this might be achievable! Nope, though it was a good effort.

Why? Well, in addition to whisky tastings, this quarter was also rather full of travels! April began in Mumbai, with short local trips to Mahabaleshwar and our farm. Much of May was my Germany with my “farewell tour” as I officially closed that chapter. Whereas June was Canada bound, before a short weekend in Dubai and back to India.

But you are here for the whisky! Let’s divide this summary into two parts – new & old!

For the NEW part, our Whisky Ladies knocked it out of the park experience-wise – even with my missing a session! 

Our Whisky Ladies were quite active! We kicked off the quarter with our now annual Mahabaleshwar long-weekend offsite. Our Friday evening was a focused tasting from our host – amusingly anchored by the alphabet – literally ABC! Then Saturday featured a remarkable martini and meeting with a 93-year-old resident of the area, followed by an evening revisiting different drams – including two from the previous year!

Plus a bonus round with two from the previous year’s SMWS that I had missed!

In the sweltering heat wave of late May, we enjoyed a remarkable pairing of whisky and food courtesy of our fabulous chef! Her whiskies were:

And closing our new tastings with the ladies was another evening late June with:

Which included a bonus Wakatsuru Saburamaru “Vengeance” Blended malt 46% – a new one to me!

Now what about the gentlemen? I also got up to some malty mischief with the lads…

Our Bombay Malt & Cigar Club continued to push the boundaries of traditional whisky with a trio from Thailand! Launched globally only last year, it was a good reminder to be a little kinder and gentler in our reviews of new entrants with Prakaan’s Tribuna Series, featuring:

We continued our global leap on the other side of the world with an exploration of Mexican Corn Whisky with:

They may not be everyone’s cup of tea, however it was interesting to explore a completely different branch of whisky!

What really made this quarter truly remarkable was my Germany farewell tour, which included:

Turning now to the OLD, I began catching up with the most recent experiences and worked backwards.

I began with a regular Bombay Malt & Cigar Club session, in which we returned to a quiet evening of whisky contemplation, exploring a few miniatures from That Boutique Whisky Company’s 2024 Advent Calendar:

I also enjoyed a few chilled “cheaters” evenings exploring a few miniatures such as:

Then another evening of miniatures, this time focused on:

The much “older” posts continued my chronicle of impressions from the remarkable London 2025 Whisky Show — now going through the 2nd day with: Arran, Tamdhu, Aberargie, Ichiro’s Malts & Chichibu, Deanston, Glen Grant Birth year drams…

And yes… there will be more to come so stay tuned!

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