Indri Trini Three Wood Review
In-Depth Review
Piccadily isn’t exactly what we would call a household name in the US whisky community. But despite its low awareness in the US, Piccadily represents the largest independent manufacturer and seller of malt spirits in India. And there are a lot of whisky drinkers in India. Unbeknownst to most, India actually represents the largest producer and consumer of whisky in the world. Yes, its over 1.4 billion person population helps – but even so – India just loves whisky. And while for most of the last 50 years, not much from the Indian whisky industry has been exported out to the US, that is slowly changing.
So, when I recently came across this Indri single malt from Piccadily, I was intrigued. Having loved some of the Amrut and Rampur bottles I have in the collection, I knew that I already loved the big, concentrated flavors that seems to be a hallmark of Indian whisky. But unlike many other Indian whiskies I’ve recently seen on shelves, this one caught my eye because of its unique use of three specific wood types: first fill bourbon, ex French wine cask, and PX sherry casks. It also features no color added, non-chill filtration, and a healthy 46% ABV. And at less than $60, this felt like the making of a great deal. So, let’s dive in and find out if it’s worth taking a chance on this newcomer!
Age: Non-Age Stated
ABV: 46%
Cask: Ex-bourbon, ex-French wine and ex-sherry casks
MSRP: $55
Distillery Name: Piccadily Distillery
Review Date: 5/2/24
Color: Rich, Dark Gold
Nose: Starts off rich and sweet – like a spiced apple pie. There’s allspice, nutmeg, and lots of stewed fruits with lemon zest, apricot, and caramelized sugar. There’s a deep richness here, with complex layers that reminds me of some of the great sherry cask malts coming from Scotland.
Palate: The first sip is like biting into a figgy sticky toffee pudding. It’s got a syrupy sweet, treacle quality full of baking spices, dates, raisins, more stewed apple all mixed with a rich dark chocolate. Its flavors are deep and concentrated with a thick dessert-y sherry bomb quality and woody spice. The only downside I can find is a slight grain quality. But otherwise, the mouthfeel is rich and viscous with a velvety texture that completely overwhelms any sensation of heat.
Finish: Medium length finish with more of the wood influence popping through. A combination of dry oak, sandalwood, and a nice malty quality lingers on the palate. After a few sips, more citrus and mint stick to the tongue.
Final Thoughts: If you haven’t had the opportunity to try any Indian whisky – Indri Three Wood should be the one to seek out. This is a truly fantastic expression that embodies the essence of the great sherried malts from Scotland. Its nose is complex and sweet, with an even more dessert-y quality on the palate. And at around $55 in my neighborhood, this is certainly one of the best values for world whiskies. It’s complex blending of wood types creates a nose and palate that blows away bottles twice this price and gets me excited to try more from this newcomer to the US whisky scene. I hear there’s an Indri cask strength version floating around as well – and I can’t wait to run across that one next.
