Most alcohol stories in the last few months have been about made in India gins (no complaint there, but how many are we going to have this year!) and tonic waters. Emails from alcohol majors and beverage consultants during the pandemic have shared alerts on yet another ‘cocktail day’ or literature on festive gifting combos and Thanksgiving food and wine pairings… one brand ambassador enthusiastically suggested a Sula Riesling with rasgullas for Diwali (I kid you not). So it was a pleasant surprise to receive a note from Bengaluru-based Amrut Distilleries about the launch of Fusion X, a special edition to mark a decade of the award-winning dram. Despite several firsts to its credit — the first Indian whisky in a Wade Ceramics bottle and one with NFC tagging, among others — the team was typically modest (an Amrut hallmark) at the virtual launch on November 25.
Journalists and distributors joined in from across the country, Europe and the US, sharing their memories of Amrut Fusion’s creator, the late Neelakanta Rao Jagdale. His son, Rakshit Jagdale, MD of Amrut Distilleries, explained how they worked hard towards launching Fusion X on Jagdale Sr’s birth anniversary. And head distiller Ashok Chokalingam detailed the process — ex-Bourbon and Sherry butts (2nd and 3rd fill), the blending and alcoholic strength at 50%.
Head distiller Ashok Chokalingam
This single malt is limited to 1010 bottles (because, number 10), with 240 bottles reserved for the US, 600 for the European continent, and 60 for Bengaluru. Evidently, there has been a mad scramble among distributors and fans. With its complex palate, silky middle ground and spicy, phenolic finish, it was agreed that this one is a keeper for the festivities ahead.
The next morning, Chokalingam, the man responsible for putting Amrut Single Malts on the world map, explained how he decided on Fusion X three years ago while touring the US. “On my return, I earmarked certain barrels of Amrut Fusion, with one of them aged for 10 years, and another for six,” he said, elaborating how blending and packaging clearances took a year. What sweetens the deal is the blockchain tech, ensuring authenticity and that the customer gets the entire source to bottle story.
Amrut Fusion X is priced at ₹15,000.
