RAMPUR « Jugalbandi #4 » IPA Cask finish, 2023, 52,4 %| Indian Single Malt Whisky I awarded!

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Last minute note : As I did finish to sip the Rampur after the video recording, I had to be honest & accept the truth, that the rating announced in it was below my feeling, and as the whisky had a fantastic nose & gorgeous palate, with a lingering finish, and didn’t stop to developp with a few drops of water, I had to increase the rating & finally got to 95/100, after hesitating at 94/100 (the initial rating in the video being 93,5/100). Of course it is subjective, but this whisky clearly exceeded my expectations... / Also, sorry, I forgot to state the information that the first whiskies under the Rampur brand were released in 2016 (« Double-Cask » & « PX »).

[@sanjeevbanga]

Hi Greg, Thanks for a great review and the good news is that you will be able to taste Rampur Jugalbandi #5 & #6 at Whisky Live, Paris !!!

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

You're very welcome, Sanjeev ! Oh that's fantastic news, thank you, can't wait to try them ! Cheers !

[@moelassus]

Wow 95/100 is impressive! Wish I could find that whisky. My local shops often have Rampur but the more common bottlings. That was a very informative video. Thank you.

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Yeah, it is with my rating system, others might rate it lower (90 ?) but sometimes, like i said in the video I'm on par with the most famous reviewers, and I know all this remain subjective...I hope you'll find it maybe through an import platform, because for me it is a high end whisky, and, guess what, on a comment today the president of the company replied to me that 2 other expressions from the same series will be presented at Whisky Live Paris, so you'll definitively hear more about this distillery in my channel...Cheers & thanks for your support !

[@WhiskyLoversSociety]

Nice video mate.

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Thanks Gert, I guess passion for a whisky transmits to the viewer in a way...That one was worth every euro...a better value than my first ranked as Whisky of the year 2023 (in your last video you're rightfully wondering about prices going up, and yes I gave that Kornog 10 yo CS a red card for its 269 € pricing (La Maison du Whisky's fault also !). It wasn't easy to rare those 2 completely different whiskies, btw... Cheers !

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Love your conversation and indepth conversation. Hard to find the time, but when I drop in, always great. The Jugalbandi #4 looks incredible. The leeche nut or exotic fruit/flowers sound amazing and to be in rye territory? Even off into Dissertation? I have not had that in a while. The nost really was insane. If this shows up here at all, I will now need to buy. Thank you. Cheers!

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

@@WhiskyNeighbour Thanks Jon (I also have to catch up with your videos too, mind you). Yes Jugalbandi #4 is great, and yes for me it borders (or touches) the rye territory...like a CS Dissertation with other notes too..and guess what (spoiler) I ve tasted the #5 & #6 at recent Whisky Live Paris (report coming soon) and came back in the stand the second day to compare the #4 & #5 and so far the #5 ( a Tokayi wine cask second maturation) did beat it, coming across as even more refined...so it went directly on top of my wishlist. Cheers !

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@@GregsWhiskyGuide wow, sounds like an excellent series!

[@christinecamley]

Not a big fan of Indian whisky but this is very nice! Terrific video! Right now excellent bourbon cask scotch is my jam! Peated!!

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Thanks Christine....I have to say Rampur does quite different whiskies than the 3 other Indian export single malt brands I know (Amrut, Paul John, Indri),but in any case, this remains very personal...Besides, I know that Rampur did also some exclusive limited releases as storepicks for La Maison du Whisky here (all Bourbon) but they are way too pricey for me. I dont think Rampur has ever released a peated whisky yet but it should be interesting...Cheers !

[@christinecamley]

@@GregsWhiskyGuide Awesome info/reply Greg! I always love connecting!

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

@@christinecamley Thanks, likewise !

[@christinecamley]

@@GregsWhiskyGuide Thank you Greg!! 🙂

[@tjw21bath]

Hello Greg, thanks for all your video's! I need your help. You've already helped me by saying in one of your video's that the 'D' symbol was stopped in 1983 in France, (is that right?) My question today is, do you know when they stopped printing GL on the labels instead of abv. I have an old bottle of Chivas 12 form 1980s, 90s ???? with both GL & ABV on it. Merci par avance, Tom (an Englishman living in France)

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Thanks, Tom...the "G.L." mention (standing for "Gay-Lussac" a famous 19th century chemist), stopped in 1980...abv replaced it then...maybe this was a transitional practise during year 1979 ?

[@tjw21bath]

@@GregsWhiskyGuide Thanks Greg. That's great, I couldn't find any info myself but I knew you would know! I wasn't sure if the transitional phase could extend longer than that into the 1980's or not. The particular bottle I'm talking about had a transparent plastic pourer integrated into the neck (impossible to remove) but it was very fragile and shattered easily, as if perished. It broke a bit when pushed with only slight pressure, so I decanted and filtered out the tiny plastic pieces. I think the bottle was for the Spanish market, do you know anything about these plastic pourers? Maybe that could tell us something about the date?!? again, thanks in advance.

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

@@tjw21bath ah, those damned plastic pourers, made for bars & cocktails...(it is possible to remove but difficult) I have a Famous Grouse like that, and as surprisingly as it could sound, it is relatively recent, while it was rather a old practise...so I don't knowexactly when, sorry...