Kamet: An Indian Single Malt Named After a Himalayan Peak

India drinks more whisky than any country on earth, and for most of that history it was blended and industrial.

Indian single malt is a newer story, and Kamet is one of the bottles making it.

Who Makes It

Kamet is a collaboration between Peak Spirits and master blender Surrinder Kumar, one of the significant figures in India's whisky-making evolution.

It's distilled by Piccadily in Haryana, in northern India.

The name comes from Mount Kamet, a Himalayan peak.

How It's Made

Six-row barley, grown in India.

That's the first thing worth noting. Scotch is made from two-row barley almost without exception. It has more starch and less protein, so it yields more alcohol. Six-row is higher in protein and husk, and it brings a grainier, more savory character. Using it isn't a compromise; it's what grows there.

Then twice distilled in copper pot stills, and matured across four cask types: ex-bourbon, ex-wine French oak, and both Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry.

Using both PX and Oloroso is a deliberate split, PX is sweet, dark and syrupy, Oloroso is dry and nutty. Together they cover both ends of what sherry can contribute.

What It Tastes Like

Nose: Char, maple syrup, vanilla, stewed prunes, toasted pecans

Palate: Lean and savory — cracked black pepper, arugula, pine nuts

Finish: English breakfast tea, with a pleasant tannin grip

The lean, peppery, green palate under a rich nose is unusual and is where the six-row barley shows up.

Why It's Here

It rounds out the set. With Kavalan from Taiwan and Ki One from Korea, we can put three non-Japanese Asian single malts in front of you alongside the Japanese ones.

All four countries face the same problem, hot climates that don't behave like Scotland, and all four answered differently. That comparison is more interesting than any one of the bottles alone.

How to Drink It

Neat. A drop of water opens the savory side.

Pair It With

Savory and peppery food. Yakiniku, buta kimchi, tebasaki.

Try It at Juraku

Kamet is part of the whisky list at Izakaya Juraku, Lower East Side. Stock comes and goes on this one, ask whether it's in.