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Indian Whisky Review: Paul John Brilliance

Paul John Brilliance is one of the flagship expressions from Paul John Distilleries in Goa, India. Indian whisky has seen an explosion in popularity in recent years,

OVERALL RATING

8
$60
  • Charles Steele is an attorney and whiskey enthusiast with a penchant for the peculiar.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Global whisky generation has exploded in the past 10-15 years. Put another way, access to global whisky has exploded in the past decade or two. Single malt was once synonymous with scotch, now it isn’t quite so. Enter a country I have never had the privilege of sampling before, home to nearly 1.5 billion people, India. Created in the lush coastal jungle of Goa, India, this Single Malt Whisky is aged in stark contrast to scotch. The climate in this region of India does not have extreme variance which means, according to their marketing materials, the whisky is ready quicker. The mash is an Indian 6-row barley, non-chill filtered, with no additives.
Appearance:
Pale Honey
Nose:

Extremely inviting, this opens with orange blossoms, bourbon vanilla, bakes apples, summer grass. Overall it is light and airy and won’t overpower your senses.


Palate:
On the nose we are greeted with cocoa, honey, and tea spices of currant, turmeric, and anise. It is herbal without crossing into medicinal. There is some charcoal about the mid-pallet before finding a soft orange peel toward the back end of the taste. There is a lovely malt sweetness throughout the sip.
Finish:
It has a watery mouthfeel and leaves very little to the teeth or tongue. The flavor is a blend of chocolate and charcoal. I would say it is has a short to medium length finish with a soft linger at the back of the throat. Like the last drop of honey at the bottom of a glass of herbal tea.
Comments:

I was pleasantly surprised by this whisky. Paul John online identifies Brilliance as their “Flagship” whisky and I certainly would agree. There is a lot to like.

It reminds me a lot of Lowland scotch. There is a lot of sweetness and it is very easy to sip on. I don’t think it needs an ice cube or water as the flavors are pretty light to begin with. 46% ABV is maybe a tad low for this reviewer but you (reader) know your palate.

While price is not a factor in my reviews, it is certainly a factor in everyone’s purchasing habits. In my home here in the U.S. it is competitively priced in the mid 60s. While it won’t blow the doors off a more mature whisky it can absolutely hold its own and is worthy of checking out.


Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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