Christmas Edition is Paul John Whisky's annual year-end release. It also serves as a prelude to what the distillery has up its sleeve for the subsequent year. As you can imagine, some are better than others, with my favorite to date being the 2020 release.
“A much awaited release every year by whisky lovers from across the world, each malt of our Christmas Edition series evokes joy and enjoys a special place in hearts and on shelves.” - Paul John Whisky
But what, exactly, is Paul John? It is a product of John's Distilleries, the maker of the world's sixth-largest whisky brand: Original Choice Whisky. John's Distilleries was founded in 1996 and is partly owned by Sazerac. Paul John is its Single Malt brand, one of the three major well-known Indian labels, along with Amrut and Rampur.
The distillery is located in Goa, India, in the western part of the nation. The average temperature in Goa is the high 80s to low 90s (Fahrenheit), translating to a naturally-accelerated aging environment. It is suggested that there is a 3:1 ratio compared to Scottish or Irish counterparts.
Six-row Indian barley, which is said to have a higher protein and fiber content, is utilized. Fermentation takes 40 hours or longer before the mash is distilled through its copper pot stills.
The 2023 Christmas Edition release is similar to the previous editions in many ways: it carries no age statement, is non-chill filtered, is naturally colored, and weighs in at 46% ABV (92°). And what's similarly different is the cooperages used. 2023 is the sixth year of the annual release, with the differing factor being ex-Bourbon cask maturation and finishing in a Single Vintage Colheita Tawny Port Cask. Another change is there is no peated whisky component.
If you're like me and not a wine enthusiast, you have no idea what Single Vintage Colheita Tawny Port means. The name is a bit redundant. Single Vintage Tawny Ports are called Colheitas. The grapes used are harvested during a single vintage year. A Colheitas port must legally age at least seven years but can go on for decades or even centuries! It is also a rare type of Port - only about 1% of all Port wines fit this category.
While Christmas Edition is a limited-edition whisky, my experience with the previous releases is that it isn't overly challenging to find, even for several months beyond Christmas. You should be able to acquire a 700ml for about $75.00
Before I get to the always exciting #DrinkCurious part of the review, I must thank Paul John for providing me with a sample in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review.
Appearance: I poured this Indian Single Malt whisky into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. The liquid formed a medium rim that couldn't begin to hold back the watery tears that fell. It possessed a deep, orange color.
Nose: The aroma was strong enough to fill my whiskey library. I smelled plums, cherries, toffee, caramel, and leather. Chocolate-covered cherries danced across my tongue when I took that air into my mouth.
Palate: I tasted the plums, cherries, and stewed peaches before I could even discern the whisky's texture, which, incidentally, was rich and oily. The middle offered honey, English toffee, and roasted coffee. Flavors of clove, leather, and milk chocolate were on the back.
Finish: The long finish included notes of plums, milk chocolate, coffee, toffee, leather, and clove.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I love peated single malt whiskies. When I started today's journey, I was disappointed there was no peated component. It is something that Paul John excels at. However, that disappointment dematerialized once this latest Christmas Edition hit my tongue. Instead, I savored this sweet, fruity treat, and I took another pour when my glass was empty. I'm unsure if it eclipses the 2020 release, but it takes second place if it isn't the best. Regardless, a Bottle rating is well-earned. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.
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