Indri-Trīni Indian Single Malt Whisky Review & Tasting Notes

 

Indri refers to an Indian village at the foothills of the Himalayas near the Yamura basin. Temperatures range from 32°F in the winter to 122°F over the summer.

 

In Sanskrit, Indri correlates to the five senses:  smell, taste, touch, sight, and sound. And, conveniently, we use all five senses when enjoying a pour.

 

The smell and taste are easy. Touch would refer to the mouthfeel and sight to its appearance in the glass. You may wonder, “Okay, Mr. Smartypants, how does sound come into play?” I propose it is three-fold: Listening to the cork pop, hearing the liquid poured into a glass and the great conversations that arise while sharing whisky.

 

Today, I’m sipping on Indri-Trīni, an Indian Single Malt whisky from Picadilly Distilleries. Picadilly runs three distilleries in India’s northern region:  Indri, Patiala, and Bawal. Operating since 2012, Indri is smack dab at the storied Grand Trunk Road, which connected Asia to the Indian subcontinent for more than 2500 years. It boasts six working Indian-designed and constructed copper pot stills and claims to be the largest independent malt manufacturer and purveyor of spirits. It warehouses 40,000 barrels and is already expanding to hold 30,000 more.

 

If you’re curious about what expertise Indri has behind it, you don’t have to look further than Surrinder Kumar, its Master Blender. If his name sounds familiar, he was the Master Blender at Amrut and has been making whisky for 40+ years.

 

Indri-Trīni is notable for more than just who distilled it. It is India’s first single malt that has been produced in three different cooperages: former Bourbon, French wine, and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. But before it gets to rest in wood, the whisky itself is distilled from six-row barley from Rajasthan.

 

Indri-Trīni carries no age statement, which is standard for Indian Single Malts. Whiskies mature faster in the scorching climate than their Scottish or Irish counterparts, often at 3-5 times, giving the angels between 10% and 12% each year. It is packaged at 46% ABV (92°), and a 750ml bottle runs about $60.00.

 

Before I #DrinkCurious, I must thank ImpEx Beverage for providing a sample of Indri-Trīni in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s get to that!

 

Appearance: Poured neat in my Glencairn glass, Indri-Trīni was the color of rich caramel. A medium-thick rim released slow, crooked tears.

 

Nose:  The first smells were of tea and tangerine. I found grilled pineapple and honey as the tea and tangerine fell off. Raisin and prune followed. There was also muted oak. When I drew the air in my mouth, I took in a swallow of vanilla.

 

Palate:  Vanilla cream, toasted almond, and sherried oak rolled across my tongue. Tangerine, grilled pineapple, and apricot took center stage, while the back featured ginger, nutmeg, and black tea. All went down with an airy texture.

 

Finish: The tangerine and pineapple seemed glued on my hard palate and inside my throat. Nutmeg and black tea danced in and out for a long, lingering finish.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  Indri-Trīni lacks any resemblance to Indian Single Malts I’ve tried from Amrut, Paul John, Kamet, or Rampur. I’ve loved Indian Single Malts for the last couple of years, and while decidedly different, this is an attention-grabbing whisky that is also easy on the wallet. If big, fruity notes are your jam, you will swoon over Indri-Trīni, and it snags my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy to Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.