Paul John Classic - 70cl

Goa is not where you expect to find serious single malt, and that is precisely why Paul John is worth your attention. John Distilleries work with six-row Indian barley grown in the northern foothills, a fatter, huskier grain than the two-row barley Scotland insists on, and it gives the spirit a broader, more cereal-rich base to build from.

The climate does the rest. Goan heat drives maturation at a pace no Scottish warehouse can match — the angel's share here runs to something like eight percent a year, against two in Speyside. Casks give up their character fast. A whisky that has spent a handful of years in ex-bourbon wood on the Indian coast has done the work of something far older in a cold climate, and it tastes it.

This is the unpeated expression, bottled at cask strength and left unchill-filtered. The nose is big and almost meaty: stewed apples and pears, freshly baked sponge cake, golden barley, a pinch of salt, and something faintly like grilled bacon fat lurking behind. The palate leads with honey, then cinnamon and cracked black pepper arrive with real force, with dark chocolate underneath. The finish is medium-long and juicy, orchard fruit over a gentle undertow of oak tannin.

At full strength it is a warming, generous dram. Water opens it considerably, so add it slowly and stop when the fruit steps forward.

How to Serve

Neat first, in a tulip glass, then water three or four drops at a time. At cask strength that dilution is doing something real, not just weakening it. No ice.

Where to Drink It

Black Rock in Shoreditch for the world whisky range. Soho Whisky Club, where the staff will happily argue about Indian malt. The American Bar at The Savoy if you want it poured with ceremony.

Food Pairings

Smoked almonds and a hard, salty cheese suit it best. If you want a plate, go for roast pork belly — the sweetness in the spirit meets the fat head-on.