Review: Indri Diwali Collector’s Edition 2023 Indian Single Malt

Piccadily Distilleries’ Indri Indian whisky brand gets a special edition in the form of this late-breaking release from the tail end of 2023: Indri Diwali Collector’s Edition 2023 is limited to just 450 bottles, and is a peated single malt that undergoes maturation in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. No age statement.

It’s a wildly different expression than Indri’s standard-bearer Trini, not just because of its use of peat but because of its exceptionally high abv (60.5%) as well.

The nose is fiery and smoldering, offering a traditionally Islay-style composition of salty beach bonfire smoke, evergreen embers, and overripe fruit. Hot and bracing, the smoky qualities dominate over all of these notes, with something of a sweet applewood smoke character enduring.

The palate offers many of the same flavors, though it soon adds in a significant, racy spiciness that tempers both the smoke and the fruity sweetness — a bit. Once the powerful notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and saffron start to fade, a brown sugar quality creeps into focus, pouring on more of that thick, layered sweetness. It’s enough to make you forget about the peat, at least for a while, but as the finish builds, a blanket of smoke settles back down on top of the experience. Red and black fruit-driven notes emerge, evoking grilled plums and black cherries, followed by sharper notes of citrus, sugared coffee, and black tea, then bitter, dark chocolate. The smoke becomes more insistent late in the game, the finish coming across as rather thick and char-heavy.

Fans of high-proof Islay should give this a look as a variation on the theme.

121 proof.

B+ / $135 (700ml) / indri.in [BUY IT NOW FROM THE WHISKY EXCHANGE]

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