9
Expressions
9
With Tasting Notes
100%
Completeness
About
Goa-based single malt distillery using six-row Indian barley. Tropical coastal climate produces intensely flavored whisky at a young age. Core range includes Brilliance, Edited, and Bold (peated). Won multiple gold medals at IWSC. Master distiller Michael D'Souza is one of India's most recognized whisky makers.
Production Details
Owner
John Distilleries
Parent Company
John Distilleries Pvt Ltd
Status
Active
Founded
2012
Still Type
Pot
Stills
4
Capacity
2.0M LPA
Water Source
Western Ghats spring water
Core Range6
Paul John BoldCore
NAS46% ABV$60-80
Ex-bourbon barrels — heavily peated Indian single malt, non-chill filtered
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Warm amber-gold; slightly deeper colour than Edited from the higher proportion of peated malt
Smell
Peat-forward — sharp, vegetal peat, thick toffee sweetness, plenty of spice. Aniseed, black pepper, honey. The boldest expression of Indian peat. Campfire and tropical heat in one glass
Sip
Medium-full body. Spicy and peaty — dry, spicy peat, black pepper, honey sweetness. Bold Indian peat character unlike Scottish peat — more vegetal and spicy. Thick toffee and aniseed beneath the smoke. Assertive and characterful
Savor
Medium-long finish. Dry peat becoming oily and savoury. Black pepper, honey, smoke persist. A distinctly Indian interpretation of heavily peated whisky — neither Islay nor Highland peat, but something unique to Goa
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Smoke House (peat, campfire, vegetal), Natural Foods (black pepper, aniseed, spice), Sweet Shop (toffee, honey), Bakery (malt)
Paul John BrillianceCore
NAS46% ABV$55-75
Ex-bourbon barrels — unpeated Indian single malt, non-chill filtered
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Bright gold with warm honey highlights; clean and inviting, reflecting bourbon barrel influence
Smell
Sweet and warm — salted butter, warm spices, bourbon character. Honeycomb, toffee, vanilla. Tropical fruit beneath — mango, banana. The Goan climate (25-35C) drives intense maturation in bourbon barrels. Approachable and elegant
Sip
Medium body. Sweet and smooth — honeycomb, toffee, vanilla, tropical fruit. Salted butter and warm spices add depth. Bourbon barrel influence gives clean sweetness. The entry-level Paul John that showcases tropical maturation's impact on single malt
Savor
Medium finish. Honey, vanilla, warm spices, gentle oak. Clean and satisfying. Goa's tropical climate produces a spirit that matures rapidly — complex flavours in a young whisky
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Sweet Shop (honeycomb, toffee), Bakery (vanilla, salted butter), Greengrocer-Tropical (mango, banana), Natural Foods (warm spices), Furniture Maker (bourbon oak)
Paul John Classic Select CaskCore
NAS55.2% ABV$95-115
Hand-selected ex-bourbon barrels — unpeated, cask strength, non-chill filtered
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Rich gold with warm amber highlights; concentrated colour from cask strength bottling
Smell
Big and robust — honey sweetness, tropical fruit, pineapple, bourbon oak. The cask strength amplifies Brilliance's character to full volume. Pepper, warm spice, rich malt. Concentrated and complex
Sip
Full body. Honeyed bourbon meets sweet pineapple — concentrated and intense at 55.2% ABV. Pepper adds depth. Tropical fruit shines through the high proof. Water opens up layers of vanilla, coconut, mango. The cask-strength showcase of unpeated Paul John
Savor
Long finish. Honey, spice, tropical fruit persist. Nice balance of sweet and spice. Oily and warming. A serious whisky for those who want Paul John at full intensity
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Sweet Shop (honey, toffee), Greengrocer-Tropical (pineapple, mango), Bakery (vanilla, coconut), Natural Foods (pepper, spice), Furniture Maker (bourbon oak)
Paul John EditedCore
NAS46% ABV$55-75
Ex-bourbon barrels — lightly peated Indian single malt, non-chill filtered
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Warm gold with amber highlights; slightly deeper than Brilliance from the peated malt component
Smell
Peat smoke mingles with tropical fruit — pineapple, coriander, coffee, charred oak. Greenish barley notes. Heat from alcohol balanced by fennel seed and turmeric. Indian spice meets gentle peat. A unique flavour combination
Sip
Medium body. Fennel seed and turmeric meet salted butter, caramel, toffee. Gentle peat smoke underneath adds complexity without dominance. Bright and subtly smoky. The lightly peated middle ground between Brilliance and Bold. Indian spice integration is distinctive
Savor
Medium finish. Bright, sweet and subtly smoky. Peat fades to warm spice and toffee. A whisky that bridges unpeated and peated styles with distinctly Indian character
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Smoke House (gentle peat), Sweet Shop (caramel, toffee), Bakery (salted butter), Greengrocer-Tropical (pineapple), Natural Foods (fennel, turmeric, coriander), Library (coffee)
Paul John NirvanaCore
NAS40% ABV$40-55
Ex-bourbon barrels — unpeated, entry-level Indian single malt
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Light gold with pale straw highlights; the lightest Paul John expression
Smell
Light and approachable — bourbon character, fruit cake, caramel pudding. Vanilla, honeycomb. A gentle introduction to Indian single malt. Clean and sweet
Sip
Light-medium body. Honeycomb sweetness, slightly salty barley notes. Vanilla, caramel pudding, fruit cake. Clean and smooth. The most accessible Paul John, designed as a gateway to Indian single malt at a friendly ABV
Savor
Medium finish. Vanilla aromas define the honey-sweet finish. Gentle and approachable. The entry point to Paul John's range
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Sweet Shop (honeycomb, caramel), Bakery (vanilla, fruit cake, barley), Walk to Lighthouse (salty notes)
Paul John Peated Select CaskCore
NAS55.5% ABV$95-115
Hand-selected ex-bourbon barrels — peated (both peat sources), cask strength, non-chill filtered
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Deep amber-gold; concentrated colour from cask strength plus peated malt
Smell
Multi-dimensional peat — dry, sharp, sweet, with pepper spice and thick ashy smoke. Both peat source regions represented for full complexity. Underneath: tropical fruit, honey, bourbon oak. Intense and layered
Sip
Full body. Powerful peat at cask strength — ashy smoke, pepper, honey, tropical fruit. Both peat sources give complexity — vegetal and smoky simultaneously. Sweet barley emerges with water. The ultimate Paul John peated expression
Savor
Medium-long finish. Peat and ashy smoke carried through. Sweet, juicy barley at the close. A whisky that demands attention and rewards patience. The peated counterpart to Classic Select Cask
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Smoke House (peat, ash, campfire), Natural Foods (pepper, spice), Sweet Shop (honey), Greengrocer-Tropical (tropical fruit), Bakery (barley, malt), Furniture Maker (bourbon oak)
Limited / Special Releases3
Paul John Christmas Edition 2024
NAS46% ABV2024$75-85
Special cask selection — annual limited Christmas release
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Warm amber-gold with festive copper highlights
Smell
Festive and rich — Christmas cake, dried fruit, spice, cinnamon, orange peel. Annual holiday release showcasing seasonal cask selections. Warm and inviting with gentle smoke possible depending on the year's blend
Sip
Medium body. Christmas cake richness — dried fruit, cinnamon, orange peel, warm spice, dark chocolate. Each year's Christmas Edition is unique. Festive warmth perfect for the holiday season. 2024 edition at $79.99-$84.99 SRP
Savor
Medium-long finish. Festive spice, dried fruit, warmth. A collectible annual release from Goa
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Bakery (Christmas cake, cinnamon), Greengrocer-Dried (dried fruit), Greengrocer-Citrus (orange peel), Sweet Shop (dark chocolate), Natural Foods (warm spice)
Paul John Kanya
NAS50% ABV2021$180-220
Special cask selection — unpeated, part of the Zodiac series
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Rich gold with deep amber highlights; premium cask selection gives deeper colour
Smell
Elegant and refined — tropical fruit, mango, vanilla, honey, gentle spice. The Zodiac series (Kanya = Virgo) showcases Paul John's finest cask selections. Floral notes, coconut, gentle oak. More refined than the core range
Sip
Medium-full body. Elegant — tropical fruit, mango, vanilla, honey, coconut. Gentle spice and floral notes. A more delicate, feminine expression compared to Mithuna's bold intensity. The Zodiac series' contemplative whisky
Savor
Long finish. Tropical fruit, honey, vanilla, gentle spice. Refined and lingering. Part of Paul John's acclaimed Zodiac series alongside Mithuna
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Greengrocer-Tropical (mango, tropical fruit), Bakery (vanilla, honey, coconut), Natural Foods (gentle spice), Garden Path (floral), Furniture Maker (gentle oak)
Paul John Mithuna
NAS58% ABV2020$280-320
American virgin oak casks finished in ex-bourbon casks — unpeated, cask strength, non-chill filtered
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Deep amber with rich mahogany highlights; virgin oak and bourbon cask combination gives intense colour
Smell
Extraordinary complexity — dark chocolate, dried fruit, orange peel, leather, spice. American virgin oak gives bold tannins and intense wood character. Bourbon finishing smooths and integrates. The third finest whisky in the world (Jim Murray 2021)
Sip
Full body. Intense and multilayered — dark chocolate, dried fruit, orange peel, leather, vanilla, spice. Virgin oak boldness tempered by bourbon smoothness. Tropical fruit, honey, walnut emerge with water. Paul John's flagship premium expression
Savor
Very long finish. Dark chocolate, leather, spice, oak, dried fruit persist. Layer after layer. Rated third finest whisky in the world by Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2021. A landmark Indian single malt
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Sweet Shop (dark chocolate), Greengrocer-Dried (dried fruit), Greengrocer-Citrus (orange peel), Furniture Maker (leather, virgin oak, bourbon oak), Natural Foods (walnut, spice), Bakery (honey, vanilla)