Amrut’s angels fly in

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Finally all is revealed. Amrut today releases the oldest whisky it has ever bottled. This special bottling has been named Greedy Angels.

Bottles of Greedy Angels are going to be very rare because those angels have had a fine old time in the eight years that the two bourbon casks were matured  in Bangalore.  As Ashok Chokalingam, Amrut’s International Brand Ambassador explains: “Over those eight years – in the tropical conditions of our warehouse – we lost close to 274 litres of spirit from the two casks. In the end, we could only bottle 86 litres of whisky. No wonder we have named it Greedy Angels.”

Some very lucky people have tasted Greedy Angels but we didn’t tell them what it was – until now. We offered blind tastings of a “mystery malt” at the Whisky Exchange Whisky Show at Vinopolis in London last year. Surrinder Kumar, Amrut’s Master Distiller, was very excited by the enthusiastic response. So, if you were one of those giunea pigs, thank you for your patience and we hope you savoured the experience.

If you want to learn more about Greedy Angles please explore the pages on the blog
Press release
Tasting pictures
Tasting comments
Tasting notes
2012-10-06T17_37_35-Surrinder Kumar - Mystery Bottlesm

Surrinder Kumar with the “mystery malt” in London, pictured by Philip Storry

Limburg return

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Limburg Whisky Fair in Germany is one of the biggest single malt festivals in the world, so it’s natural that Amrut is making a return visit. The two-day fair on 27-28 April is packed with the usual malt-inspired attractions – tastings, masterclasses etc – and of course Amrut’s International Brand Ambassador, Ashok, will have some special single malts with him to introduce visitors to.

Not only is there the daytime focus on all-things whisky, but after hours there are fantastic parties. The pre-show atmosphere will be electric as the Dumbliners (a local Irish folk bank) play on Friday, while on Saturday night there’s an Islay barbecue and Scottish Celtic rock singer Davy Cowan in concert.

It hardly seems a year ago that this blog’s first entry was reporting how we met up with lots of old friends and made many new ones in Limburg, the lovely mediaeval town, with narrow streets and timber-frame houses, imposing cathedral and castle. How time flies when you are with Amrut. We can’t wait to return.

26-27 April: The Whisky Fair, Josef Kohlmaier Halle, Limburg. www.whiskyfair.com
Davy Cowan website  Dumbliners facebook
limburg2013

Recognition in India

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Amrut Distilleries has been named in the prestigious Inc India 500 list. Inc India 500 celebrates the contribution of the mid-sized businesses – the next generation of talent – in corporate India. The awards were presented at a glittering ceremony at the Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort outside Delhi at the end of March 2013.

It is significant recognition for Amrut, which, as well as exporting its award-winning single malt whiskies, is a key player in the liquor market in southern states of India.

The Inc India 500 ranking methodology seeks to identify and recognise the fast-growing independent companies among India’s medium sized businesses. The companies identified for inclusion are assessed by the Inc India 500 team in consultation with five jury members drawn from business and academia.

Amrut Inc India

Amrut Distilleries Chairman and Managing Director, Neel Jagdale, centre accepts the Inc India 500 certificate

Amrut importer calls in

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The Distillery in Bangalore hosted a visit by Amrut’s North American importer, Purple Valley Imports in February. Jocelyn Morgan, Cindy Bray & Roberto Roberti of Purple Valley had been invited on the trip because of their outstanding sales of Amrut Malt Whisky. You can see some of the highlights of their visit on the Purple Valley Facebook page.

Amrut’s malt whiskies including the award-winning Fusion, Two Continents and Kadhambam are imported for the north American markets by Purple Valley. Purple Valley Imports USA was named the Icons of Whisky America 2013 “Whisky Importer of the Year”.
Purple Valley Imports

Amrut heads to Belgium

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The International Whisky Festival in Gent will be the culmination of Amrut’s mini tour of Belgium which starts on 11 March. Ashok, Amrut’s International Brand Ambassador, will be hosting Masterclasses at 3pm each day. The festival itself will be an exciting one with music by the harpist Inge Frimout as well as a special screening of the ken Loach film Angels’ Share. There is also the chance to visit a real distillery – Graanstokerij Filliers at Bachte-Maria-Leerne, one of the largest distilleries in Belgium. It produces its own gins and for many years a series of distinctive whiskies.

In the days before the festival, Ashok will see a little of the Belgium landscape, taking in the towns of Brugge, Lebbeke, Mechelen, Gent and Antwerpen where he will give exclusive tastings. The  tastings are at the following venues:
11 March: Tine Stoof, Oostmalle, Antwerpen at 7pm. Details on Twitter  www.tinestoof.be
12 March: Dram 242, Opwijksestraat 242, Lebbeke, at 8pm. Details   www.dram242.be
13 March: Brugse Whiskyshop, Cordoeaniersstraat 4, Brugge. www.brugswhiskyhuis.be
14 March: Olivier, Gent.
15 March: Pin-Art, Désiré Boucherystraat 6, Mechelen at 7.30pm. Details on Facebook  www.pinart.be
16 + 17 March: International Whiskyfestival 2013,  ICC Ghent Citadelpark, Gent, www.whiskyfestival.be

German whisky adventure

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A corner of the Bavarian city of Nürnberg will be transformed into whisky country, with the typical facades and landscapes of Scotland and Ireland forming the backdrop for a brand new whisky fair. The Village 2013  – over the weekend of 2-3 March – is part of Freizeit Messe Nürnberg, which is one of the leading German leisure-focused consumer shows.

Amrut Indian Malt will be joining the 40 or so exhibitors who will present an extensive selection of over 500 whiskies from Scotland, Ireland, North America, Germany and Switzerland. There’s a full programme of live music, lectures, cooking demonstrations and other attractions. The Highland Circle of Nürnberg, Germany’s first and oldest whisky club, and Michael Gradl of Gradl Whiskyfässla are involved in this venture which is in Hall 12 of the Nürnberger Messezentrums.

2-3 March: the Village 2013 Whiskymesse, Nürnberger Messezentrums. Whiskymesse

Bergen bound

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Bergen’s Whisky Meet celebrates its fifth anniversary and it looks like it will be the best yet. It’s at the Grand Whiskybar in Bergen, Norway, from 13 to 16 February and Amrut is honoured to be hosting a very special Masterclass on the Saturday afternoon. Ashok, our International Brand Ambassador, will be taking the floor to introduce the Norwegian audience to some of his favourite Amrut malts (including the Intermediate Sherry, Fusion and the Single Malt). He might also be persuaded to show off another product from Amrut – the Old Port East Indian Dark Rum. It certainly looks like Whisky-Meet 2013 is one for the diary.
13-16 February: Whisky-Meet 2013, Grand Whiskybar, Bergen. Amrut Masterclass on 16 Feb. Whisky-Meet

Spreading the word

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It’s always exciting to hear from Amrut drinkers and especially when it’s about a venue that’s started to stock the malts. Twitter and Facebook are other sources of this news. It all makes the world seem so very small. We recently spotted that the Kean’s Head in Nottingham had made Cask Strength Malt of the Month for January. https://twitter.com/keanshead/status/286896551824089090. Thank you the Kean’s Head crew!

One traditional Edinburgh pub has posted on facebook about Fusion reaching its bar here. Welcome to all at the Cumberland! We also spotted Intermediate Sherry in the window of Whisky & Wine in its shop window (below) on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

Across the Atlantic, the Premier Whiskey Bar in New York offers the full portfolio of whiskies. Meanwhile the Grand Hotel Nanaimo @hotelnanaimo in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, is proudly carrying a fairly full line up of Amrut.

We also found out via Twitter that Amrut Fusion is available at Les Clos near gate 217 in T3 of Dubai airport… good news for travellers and duty free shoppers.

Why don’t you add your own Tweets or Facebook posts about the favourite places you enjoy Amrut?  Comment the links to the Amrut blog here or Tweet to @Amrutsinglemalt or message us on Facebook

IMS on Royal Mile 2013

Window star: IMS at Whisky & Wine on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile

Sail-away success

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Amrut’s first whisky tasting on the high seas was a great success. Ashok, our International Brand Ambassador, took our single malts along with him on the Viking Line cruise ship Cinderella which was sailing in the Baltic in January.  A floating whisky fair was  held on three sailings between Stockholm and Mariehamn as these photos show it was an ideal way to take a break and enjoy whisky.

Amrut afloat

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For the first time Amrut will be involved in whisky tastings on the high seas. Ashok, our International Brand Ambassador, is joining the Viking Line cruise ship Cinderella in the Baltic later this month. A floating whisky fair will be held on three sailings between Stockholm and Mariehamn. An ideal way to take a break and enjoy whisky, these floating fairs have been sell-outs in the past and are heading that way again.

17-19 January 2013: Cinderella Whisky Fair on board the Viking Line’s Cinderella in the Baltic between Stockholm and Mariehamn.