Kamet Single Malt – Himalayan Origin, Mountainous Ambition

A parrot under the Christmas tree. The bird is Kamet Single Malt’s mascot.

To add to the single malt whiskies from India we already have, a new label, Kamet Single Malt, joins their ranks on bar shelves. Peak Spirits, which introduced their gin to world markets earlier, has tied up with Picadilly Distillery to produce a whisky named after the third highest peak in the Indian Himalayas.

The whisky itself is triple matured, spending time in ex Bourbon, ex wine and ex Sherry casks, although with no age statement, it doesn’t tell you how much time it spent in each.

In appearance, the whisky is pale gold in colour with light legs. 

Tasting notes

Nose: Honeyed and syrupy as the top note with just a touch of vanilla. Light floral notes with white flowers, akin to tuberoses, begin to build over the next few minutes, finally developing to light fruit with the prominent note young banana at this point. There is a hint of a slightly melted bar of milk chocolate with raisins at the end.

Palate: Honey again as the predominant flavour, with a mouthful of sweetness. There’s a creamy mouthfeel to start that gives way to slight astringence towards the end. Chocolate is back on the palate too, with a hint of nut and caramel, although what came to mind was a fist full of Maltesers crammed into my mouth.

Finish: Not overly long. Stays in the front and middle palate, not quite reaching or coating the back of the throat.

Adding a few drops of water to the whisky changed the character considerably, and after that first burst of honey on the nose, I got young wood and fleshier white fruit like custard apple. On the palate, the astringency was more pronounced, and the fruit changed to sour cherries.

Overall: A good effort for a first batch, and while it’s lacking in complexity, it’s an easy going whisky that doesn’t try to make a fist in your face statement. You’ll probably enjoy it far more with the addition of water, since it helps cut down what could otherwise be overpoweringly sweet.

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