Paul John Christmas Edition Review

I’m a fan of Paul John whisky. I wasn’t when I first tried them 3 or 4 years ago, but everything they’re putting out now is solid and the 2019 Paul John Christmas Edition is no exception. It’s a culmination of their excellence and is currently my favorite Paul John release. Well, 2018 is my actual favorite, though it’s a bit like splitting hairs, but we’ll chat more about that in a bit.

Paul John Christmas Edition

But before we jump into this Indian Whisky review I want to lay out what goes into this whisky. 2019 is the second release, though it’s the first to make to the USA. It’s comprised of their Paul John Peated and lightly peated whiskies aged in ex-Bourbon casks for at least 5 years and then finished for at least two years in ex-PX casks.

Paul John Christmas Edition Review: Details and Tasting Notes

In Paul John’s Words:

“With deep golden hues, this limited Paul John Christmas Edition is from the tropical shores of Goa along the west coast of India. Exquisite aromas of orange blossom honey, pralines and luscious baked apples enhance delightful flavours of sweet honey, fine raisins and dry plum. The light mocha and a lighter smoke on the palate leads to a long Pedro Ximénez finish of spicy French toast and delicious smoked nuts. This festive season, allow the delightful nuances of this exclusive small batch of rare single malts create memorable experiences.”

Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)

Region: India (Goa)

Distiller: Paul John
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon and ex-Pedro Ximénez
Age: 7+ years
ABV: 46%

Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color

Batch: 2019

Price: $60*

Tasting Notes

EYE
Burnt umber

NOSE
Dried strawberries, vanilla frosting, citric acid, blueberries, malty sweetness, smoke, spice, brown sugar, dried apricots and graham.

PALATE
Dried strawberries, brown sugar, S’mores, citrus, dark fruit, caramel, brown sugar, malt and smoke.

FINISH
Long -> Powdered sugar, dried strawberries, raspberries, vanilla frosting and Cheerios.

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Great balance, full-round body and a soft oily feel.

This is tasty... so dang tasty. It's a cavalcade of Holiday flavors and aromas that befit its name.

Paul John Christmas Edition Review: Overall and Score

Yeah, this is good. The Aroma is rich and fruity with dark sweet malty notes and a touch of spice; Palate carries a heavy dank sweetness with subtle earthy notes, smoke and spice; Finish pulls through all the sweet notes with barely a hint of the smoke or earthy tones.

The Paul John Christmas Edition is the perfect dram for sitting by a fire; it’s smoky-sweet and beautifully balanced. I like the 2018 just a hair more, I thought it was a tad richer, but just a tad. They’re incredibly similar in overall profile and if you saw people raving about last year’s you will not be disappointed, in the slightest, by the 2019. It’s delicious.

SCORE: 4.5/5