Indri is the most recent single malt brand coming out of India. Launched last year, it stands on the shoulders of trailblazers such as Amrut, Paul John, and (to a slightly lesser extent) Rampur. The brand’s flagship (and currently only) offering is Indri Trini – The Three Wood, a whisky that left a memorable first impression when I initially tasted it several months ago.
The whisky is named after the city Indri in the state of Haryana, which is where the brand’s parent company is located. Piccadily Agro was officially founded in 1967, but the founding family has been in the alcohol distribution business since 1953. Alcohol production started in 1994, but it wasn’t until 2012 that the facility was upgraded to include a malt distillery.
(As an aside, Piccadily Agro, which claims to be the largest independent malt spirit distiller in India, is also financing a new Scotch whisky distillery at Portavadie on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll and Bute.)
Indri Trini – The Three Wood starts with a six-row barley variety (common for Indian whisky) grown in the neighbouring state of Rajasthan. As the name suggests, it matures in three different cask types, namely ex-bourbon, French red wine and ex-Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. Maturation brings some challenges, as the warehouses are located in an area where the temperature can range from near zero degrees Celsius in winter to +40 degrees in summer.
Indri Trini – The Three Wood (46%, OB, 2022)
Nose: It’s the fruitiness that’s just remarkable here. And regular readers might have picked up on my fondness for tropical-led malts. I get mangos, pineapple and apricots, but also some candied oranges and red berries, along with a hint of pickled ginger, Galia melon and peach. And some really sticky caramel too.
Taste: The mouthfeel is characterised by a subtle oiliness. There are more tropical fruits here. Mangos, guava, grapefruit. Also a touch of crushed mint leaves, nutmeg and ginger, along with a whiff of breakfast tea.
Finish: Medium in length and with oak spices and drying tannins leading the way. Soft forest fruits.
Photo: Whiskybase
