Unsung heroes or downright zeroes – episode 4: Paul John Brilliance

46% ABV, American Oak, possibly coloured, UCF, 2020 release

Why not digress a bit from the beaten scotch whisky path and expand the horizon further east? After all, in the timespan of just one decade, Paul John has managed to establish itself as a household name for many whisky drinkers. In fact it was, alongside fellow Indian distillery Amrut, probably one of the first world whiskies out there that made people sit up and pay attention to anything that wasn’t labelled as Scotch or Irish. And while they too were greeted with a fair dose of scepticism at first, quite soon these biases and preconceptions about Indian whisky vanished like snow in the Bangalore sun. From what I’ve tasted so far, I remember their profile and style being recognizable, yet without being a knock off or a copycat, as it also has its own identity and character. As like Amrut, they’re relying on a 6-row barley variety (whereas most European malt whisky would be made from 2-row barley) which grows in the northern parts of India, near the Himalaya, to add a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to their whiskies. And it works! Due to the higher protein / lower starch levels of this type of barley (meaning a lower yield), it gives the whisky body and texture, with often an oily and dense character. And so, after the initial smug smiles from the whisky establishment were wiped from faces, Paul John quickly made a name in ‘overseas’ markets like the UK, Europe and the US.

When they started out in 1996 they were (and still are) catering in no small amount to the Indian whisky market (which, technically speaking, isn’t always necessarily whisky as we know and understand it, as it is far less strict regulated, therefore allowing e.g. the use of molasses and other base ingredients to make whisky), and are now selling somewhere down the lines of 15 million cases of “whisky” per year. Just to illustrate that, while Paul John as a brand of single malt may be on par with a lot of medium scaled distilleries in Scotland , producing some 1.5 million litres of new make produced at their distillery in Goa, that’s pretty ‘niche’ within the total scale of operations that is ‘John distilleries’ (indeed, plural, as they own 3 distilleries in India). They do mean business, producing some 500 million LPA from their column stills. That’s more than 4 times the production capacity of all 29 of Diageo’s malt whisky distilleries combined. Simply put: that’s a lot of booze. You just won’t believe what an enormous amount of booze that is. I mean, you may think you’ve got quite a few bottles stashed away to quench your thirst, but that’s just peanuts to mr. John from India. It also means that in India, an operation like John Distilleries is a tax collector’s wet dream, as liquor is taxed at a rate of no less than 150%.

Add to that tangle after tangle of regulations and import taxes varying from state to state (and they have 28 of them) and it seems a small miracle in its own right that India is the leading market when it comes to the consumption of whisk – the 4 most sold brands, adding up to roughly 100 million cases each year, are all Indian whiskies.

It also means that, in the larger scheme of things, a brand like Paul John could be seen as a bit of a pet project to a company like John distilleries. A feather in an already quite impressive cap. But I’ve got a feeling mr. John doesn’t see things that way. In fact, his determination to create a single malt capable of taking the game to Scottish home turf (likely against his accountant’s advice), is not only a sign of bold entrepreneurship, it should be welcomed rather than dismissed by anyone calling him- or herself a true whisky enthusiast. I feel it’s thanks to companies like these, who are putting out products that are openly striving to be at the very least just as good as any quality Scottish single malt that push forward the entire industry and, more than anything, help prevent Scotch whisky to become complacent - not necessarily challenging them, but certainly keeping them on their toes.

Due to the impact of climate conditions on the maturation of whisky in Goa (varying between bloody hot and wet in the summer all the way down to bloody hot and dry in the winter), the angel’s share can mount up to 10 – 15% each year. Therefore, most of their whisky will be somewhere between 4 and 8 years old –at the risk of dumping near empty barrels when bottling. Which probably explains why they don’t bother too much about age statements. Now boasting a core range of 4 NAS expressions (the entry level ‘Nirvana’, this unpeated expression, the mildly peated ‘Edited’ and the heavily peated ‘Bold’), alongside annual limited cask strength and Holiday Season releases, there are few dedicated whisky stores who won’t have at least some Paul John whiskies on the shelves these days. And yet, we seldom see or hear people raving about them.

So, with that rather lengthy intro done and dusted, how about some tasting notes?

Nose

Soapy and floral. Heather, a clay-like note and a faint hint of butter. Spirity, with a soft sourness and a bit of acidity. We might be 10,000 miles from Scotland, but we’re pretty close to Campbeltown.

Taste

Sharp arrival. Pretty much all of the notes from the nose are here as well, but – unfortunately – much more muted and overruled by a strong spirit note, which goes really peppery. The clay note making an effort is a redeeming factor, but it’s still a case of ‘too little too late’, I’m afraid.

Finish

Short, sharp and a gentle bitter – woody note.

Final thoughts

This started pretty promising on the nose and it showed potential. Truth be told, it took a wrong turn on the palate, and that’s really a pity. It’s not bad, it’s just –to my palate- too spirit driven, muting the other favours and sensations. There’s just not enough balance here to make this a truly enjoyable whisky. I’ve tried a number of Paul John whiskies, and this one doesn’t seem to float my boat. If you get the chance, I’d recommend you try some of their Christmas releases. The spicy, dense character works quite well with sherry casks imo. Overall I think I prefer the entry level Nirvana over this one. The nose lifts this up at least a couple of points, but whether that’s enough to save the day…? 76/100 (not bad, not particularly good either).