After a five-year hiatus, Amrut is bringing back its ultra-rare and ultra-unusual Spectrum bottling. As with the 2017 release, this is Amrut single malt aged for an unspecified amount of time in ex-bourbon casks and then finished, again for an unspecified amount of time, in special “Spectrum” casks constructed from four different types of oak staves (American oak with a Level 3 char, toasted French oak, ex-Oloroso sherry, and ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry). On paper, it doesn’t appear that anything has changed in five years, with the exception that the oddly Bond-themed “004” subtitle is more prominently displayed on the packaging this go round. And while it will still be an extremely hard bottle to locate, there’s significantly more on offer for 2022 than past releases. Which could be a great thing if this latest release is anywhere near as good as the 2017 bottling. Let’s see if that’s the case.

The sherry is a bit more concentrated on the nose than the 2017 release, with brighter, punchy notes of stewed dark fruits and almond paste. While its predecessor showed more sultry, damp oak and smoke, this is definitely more fruit-forward and lively with secondary notes of fresh ground clove, coffee beans, and rose oil. The palate reflects a similar contrast with a more youthful and sweet sherry character. Layers of rum raisin, berry jam, orange oil, and dark roast coffee ride atop an oily, vibrant body. A gentle warmth builds into the syrupy finish, which sees a bit of astringency as all those different oak influences battle for your last bit of attention, teasing for the next sip with notes of candied citrus and stone fruit. While I prefer the 2017 bottling, which was a bit more balanced on the sherry front, this latest release is still a worthy addition to the Spectrum lineage.

100 proof. 6000 bottles produced (1050 for the U.S.).

A / $195 / amrutdistilleries.com [BUY IT NOW FROM THE WHISKY EXCHANGE]

Amrut Spectrum 004 Single Malt Whisky 2022

$195

9.5

Rating

9.5/10

BUY IT NOW

About Post Author

Drew Beard

Drew Beard is Assistant Editor and Social Media Manager for Drinkhacker. He has studied and written about beer, whisk(e)y, and other spirits since he first started drinking them, earning several booze-related merit badges along the way, including Certified Specialist in Spirits and Executive Bourbon Steward. A recovering Federal government employee, he is happy to have finally found a career where it is acceptable to drink on the job.

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