This week we’re doing a series of Indian Whisky reviews which we’re kicking off with the Paul John Brilliance Single Malt. Born from first-fill ex-Bourbon casks, the Brilliance is a malt-forward dram that highlights some of the best aspects of the what Paul John is doing.
Like Amrut or Kavalan, the heat and humidity in Goa make it possible for these whiskies to mature rapidly and come out of the cask with a profile that resembles something almost double its age from Scotland or Ireland. I’ve been a fan of Paul John for a while now and I’m excited to go through these whiskies. Though I’ll be honest, it wasn’t always that way… but that’s a topic for another post.
Paul John Brilliance Single Malt Review: Details and Tasting Notes
“All the brilliance of Goa is bottled up in this Single Malt. Its sparkling hues are reminiscent of sun-kissed beaches. The six-row barley for this whisky comes from the foothills of the Himalayas. Brilliance is matured in bourbon casks, to give you absolute sensory delight. It couldn’t gather more brilliance than this!”
Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)
Region: India
Distiller: Paul John
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: First-fill ex-Bourbon
Age: At least 6 years (6-8)
ABV: 46%
Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Price: $53
Tasting Notes
EYE
Amber
NOSE
Honey, orchard fruit marmalade, roasted malt, touch vanilla, spice and graham with a touch olde candy.
PALATE
Dried orchard fruit, roasted malt, touch vanilla, spice and hay-like malt and a touch of olde candy and oat biscuits.
FINISH
Medium -> Malt, honey and spice.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Good sense of balance, medium feel and light feel.
Paul John Brilliance Single Malt Review: Overall and Score
It’s nice. Aroma opens with a pleasant profile that sits as honey and malt with some dried notes and a touch nutty; Palate holds some big malty notes which kind of die-off but then come back through as it opens, pulling in some fruity notes; Finish is also pleasant.
The Paul John Brilliance Single Malt is a standard kind of malt. It has some candy-like sweetness paired with malty notes that make it an easy simple sipper. The fruity aspect comes and goes, but the malty notes are always present and get a bit cereally on the palate as it opens and gets a bit more hay-like on the aroma.
SCORE: 2.5/5
Paul John Brilliance Single Malt $53
Overall
2.5- Nose (2.5)
- Palate (2.5)
- Finish (2.5)
- BBF (2.5)
User Review
0 (0 votes) Comments Rating 0 (0 reviews)Paul John Brilliance Single Malt Review Summary
It’s a very standard-style single malt without anything to expressly love or despise. It’s pleasant without being distinct and while sippable seems to work better in cocktails.
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