Paul John 2024 Christmas Edition Indian Single Malt Whisky Review

Christmastime is fun. Even if you don’t celebrate, it is the end of the year, which brings out a ton of awards – including my annual Whiskeyfellow Best Of Awards – plus there are a handful of distilleries that regularly put out special Christmas releases.

 

One such distillery is Paul John. If that name is unfamiliar, it is a product of John’s Distilleries, the maker of the world’s sixth-largest whisky brand: Original Choice Whisky. John’s Distilleries was founded in 1996 and is partly owned by Sazerac. Paul John is its Single Malt brand, one of the three major well-known Indian labels, along with Amrut and Rampur. 

 

The distillery is located in Goa, India, in the western part of the nation. The average temperature in Goa is the high 80s to low 90s (Fahrenheit), translating to a naturally-accelerated aging environment. It is suggested that there is a 3:1 ratio compared to Scottish or Irish counterparts.

 

Six-row Indian barley, which is said to have a higher protein and fiber content, is utilized. Fermentation takes 40 hours or longer before the mash is distilled through its copper pot stills.

 

The 2024 Christmas Edition release is similar to the previous editions: it carries no age statement, is non-chill filtered, is naturally colored, and weighs in at 46% ABV (92°). What’s similarly different are the cooperages used. 2024 is the seventh year of the annual release, with the differing factor being that Caribbean Rum Cask matured and then vatted in Virgin American Oak casks. And, like last year, this year’s release is unpeated.

 

Paul John utilizes its annual Christmas Edition as a prelude to what the distillery has in the works for the subsequent year. As you can imagine, some are better than others.

 

Christmas Edition comes with a suggested price of $79.99 with 7000 bottles destined for the American market. While Christmas Edition is a limited-edition whisky, my experience with the previous releases is that it isn’t overly challenging to find, even for several months into the following year.

 

I’ve had the opportunity to try every Christmas Edition since 2019. The 2020 and 2023 versions have been tied as my favorites to date. So, how does the 2024 Christmas Edition compare? Thankfully, Paul John has provided me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and get the answer!

 

Appearance: I poured this whisky into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. The liquid inside was the color of topaz. A medium rim discharged tightly spaced, pencil-thin, slow tears.

 

Nose: The aroma was malty, with zests from grapefruits and oranges. I also smelled grilled pineapples, toasted coconuts, and sourdough. As I took the air inside my mouth, I encountered bold vanilla.  

 

Palate: The 2024 Christmas Edition possessed a medium-weight and silky texture. The front of my palate was exposed to grilled pineapples, plums, and candied orange slices—the middle featured vanilla, coconuts, and toffee. I tasted oak, bananas, and molasses on the back of my palate.

 

Finish: Oak, black pepper, candied orange slices, pineapples, and toffee stuck around well after my swallow. The duration clocked in at 2:10, which I would classify as long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Paul John’s 2024 Christmas Edition is sweet with subtle spice. It was almost fruitcake-like (good fruitcake, not the stuff that people keep re-gifting year after year). There was very little rum influence, or at least not what I typically run into with rum-finished whiskies. In fact, I found it more brandy-like than rummy. That’s okay because I always appreciate when a whisky defies expectations.

 

The well-balanced, nicely layered Indian Single Malt is an easy sipper. There’s no “burn” to it, and the whisky is perfectly proofed. I’m curious how using peated barley might have affected this experience, but that’s probably in the works for another year.

 

While the 2024 Christmas Edition didn’t unseat the 2020 and 2023 expressions, it is delicious and well worth 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 to do so responsibly.