Amrut Intermediate Sherry Indian Single Malt Whisky
Amrut Intermediate Sherry is a cask strength Indian single malt whisky — 57.1% ABV (114.2 proof), 750mL — from Amrut Distilleries in Bangalore. Its name describes its making: the whisky starts in ex-bourbon and virgin oak casks, moves into Spanish ex-Oloroso sherry butts for the middle of its maturation, then returns to bourbon casks to finish — the sherry is an intermediate stage, not a finish, so it runs through the whole palate instead of sitting on top. Bottled at full cask strength with no age statement. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 57.1% (114.2 proof), cask strength
- Size: 750mL (US bottling)
- Distillery: Amrut Distilleries, Bangalore (Bengaluru), India
- Grain: Indian barley grown at the foothills of the Himalayas
- Cask journey: ex-bourbon/virgin oak → ex-Oloroso sherry butts → ex-bourbon casks
- Age: no age statement
- Score: 96.5 points, Jim Murray's Whisky Bible
The Sherry Goes in the Middle
Amrut is the distillery that put Indian single malt on the world map — founded in 1948 by J.N. Radhakrishna Rao Jagdale, it launched India's first single malt in Glasgow in August 2004, an appropriately exported debut for a whisky made in Bangalore, 3,000 feet above sea level, where the heat drives fast, deep cask interaction. ("Amrut" itself is from the Sanskrit amrita, the nectar of the gods.) Most sherry-influenced whiskies meet sherry wood at the end. Intermediate Sherry inverts the formula: bourbon oak first, a year or so in Spanish Oloroso butts in the middle, then back to bourbon casks — so the dried-fruit depth is woven through the whisky rather than layered over it.
Tasting Notes
Amrut's official notes: port, candied cherries, vanilla and strawberry jam on the nose over the house licorice-root character; cinnamon, nutmeg, orange peel and anise on the palate; and a long, dry, oaky finish with the sherry growing as it goes.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a tulip glass first — at 114.2 proof, add water a few drops at a time and watch the jammy fruit and spice trade places. It rewards slow drinking more than mixing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Intermediate Sherry" mean? The sherry casks are the middle stage of maturation, not a finish: the whisky ages in bourbon and virgin oak, transfers to ex-Oloroso sherry butts, then returns to bourbon casks before bottling.
Where is Amrut whisky made? In Bangalore, India, by Amrut Distilleries — the company that launched India's first single malt whisky in 2004. The barley is grown in northern India, at the foothills of the Himalayas.
Is Amrut Intermediate Sherry cask strength? Yes — it is bottled at 57.1% ABV (114.2 proof) with no age statement, and it scored 96.5 points in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible.
Bangalore's sherry-sandwich malt, at full strength — find Amrut Intermediate Sherry at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.