Paul John Whisky
| In Goa's tropical heat, whisky matures far faster than Scottish weather ever allows. Paul John is proof that India now belongs among the world's great single malt nations. |
About Paul John
Paul John Whisky comes from Goa's sun-soaked west coast and markets itself as "The Great Indian Single Malt" – a claim that isn't exaggerated. The whisky is made from Indian six-row barley grown at the foot of the Himalayas and matures in a tropical climate where evaporation (the angel's share) runs at around 8% a year, far more than the roughly 2% typical in Scotland. For collectors, that means even a relatively young Paul John can carry a maturity matching a much older Scotch, while beginners get an accessible, full-bodied dram with no artificial additives.
History & background
Paul John is made by John Distilleries, founded in 1996 and today one of India's largest spirits producers. The single malt project itself launched in 2008, and in 2004 Michael D'Souza was appointed Master Distiller – a role he still holds. The whiskies were sold only in India for years, but in 2012 Paul John launched its single malts internationally, and the brand has since racked up more than 350 international awards, with a range spanning the accessible Brilliance, Edited and Bold to rare Select Cask releases finished in sherry, port and Madeira casks.
Production & style
The whisky is distilled from Indian six-row barley and matured exclusively in American oak casks in Goa's tropical climate, where the intense heat drives maturation at a pace unheard of in Scotland. Paul John is neither chill-filtered nor coloured or flavoured, resulting in a full-bodied, honest whisky ranging from the unpeated Brilliance to the heavily peated Bold.
Signature style
Full-bodied, tropical, lightly spiced
Honey, mango and dried fruit in the unpeated expressions, while the peated variants add smoke and a warm, spiced finish – whisky shaped by India's heat rather than Scotland's cold.
Facts
| Distillery | Paul John Distillery (John Distilleries) |
| Founded | 2008 (parent company 1996) |
| Pronounced | "Paul John" |
| Region | Goa |
| Country | India |
| Owner | Paul P. John / John Distilleries |
| Official website | pauljohnwhisky.com |
Awards & recognition
Paul John has won more than 350 international awards, and the Mithuna expression was once named the "World's 3rd Finest Whisky" by critic Jim Murray, scoring a remarkable 97 points.
Did you know?
Evaporation in Goa runs so high that a cask losing around 2% of its contents a year in Scotland instead loses up to 8% – Paul John's "angels" work roughly four times as fast as their Scottish counterparts.