Piccadilly Distillery stands as one of India’s most prominent whisky producers, gaining international attention for its Indri single malt whisky. Located in Indri, Haryana, the distillery operates under the Piccadily Group – an enterprise founded by K. N. Sharma in 1953 that originally focused on liquor distribution in Punjab before expanding into hospitality, hotels, and alcoholic beverage manufacturing. By 1994, the group had opened its first distillery in Indri and, drawing inspiration from both Indian and Scottish traditions, evolved into the country’s largest independent producer of malt spirits.
Indri, their single malt, first launched in 2021, marks Piccadilly’s commitment to high-quality Indian whisky (by comparison to other alcoholic beverages called Indian whisky but which contain neutral alcohol, for instance). The team, led by Master Distiller Surrinder Kumar (well known for his previous work at Amrut), recognises the importance of local ingredients, using six-row barley grown in Rajasthan and Indian-crafted copper pot stills. The distillery features modern facilities and imported American oak barrels, with an on-site cooperage to handle toasting and charring. Let’s review three of their whiskies, one core range, Indri Drú, and two single casks.
Indri Drú (2024) Review
Indri Drú is a cask strength Indian single malt whisky produced by Piccadily Distillery. The name ‘Drú’ comes from Sanskrit, meaning ‘wood’, ‘tree’, or a vessel made of wood – connecting the release to Indian mythology in which such vessels played a part in rituals. This expression is matured in ex-bourbon casks in the subtropical climate of northern India. Bottled at 57.2% ABV, Indri Drú is not chill filtered and without added colouring. Expect to pay from €65 a bottle in Europe, and from £67 in the UK.
Colour:
Tawny
Nose:
Neat: The nose opens with youthful notes driven by fresh oak, immediately evoking memories of young whisky from very active casks – the profile brings to mind early Bimbers. Intense oak leads the way, but as the cask influence settles, tropical fruits begin to show. Vanilla, caramel, clove, then tangerine and orange follow. Simple syrup and fudge round off the sweetness.
With water: Wood retreats, allowing easier access, though tropical fruits fall back; orange and caramel stay in focus, followed by milk chocolate.
Palate:
Neat: The palate hits with heat and spice: caramel comes through, heavy oak asserts itself, while pepper, chilli, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg bring plenty of fire. Citrus from the nose appears more delicately, followed by a flash of liquorice. As the heat fades, tropical fruit returns, echoing the nose.
With water: The bitter wood intensifies, and dark chocolate laced with dried flowers emerges. Camomile and jasmine tea drift in, producing a complex but less rewarding palate than the neat sample.
Finish:
A burst of asparagus with a light bitterness, then hints of cardboard. The finish feels light after such a commanding nose and palate.
Comments:
Indri Drú presents as a powerful, youthful single malt crafted in active casks – India’s climate and substantial Angel’s share no doubt accelerate oak extraction (I invite you to read my detailed article about Angel’s share if you haven’t read it yet). Youth does shine through, but the whisky stays fun and expressive. It works best neat, since water mutes the experience a bit too much. Enjoyable and well made.
Rating: 6.5/10
Indri 2019 Single Cask #4074 (2024) Review
This first single cask is an unpeated Indri distilled on the 24th of January 2019 (a splendid day which saw me getting way older) and bottled on August 2024 after 5 years of maturation in ex-bourbon cask #4074. The cask had an outturn of 120 bottles filled without added colour nor chill filtration at 58.5% ABV, which is probably not cask strength, as all their single casks seem to be filled at that ABV. This release was bottled for the Netherlands and selected by WIN (Whisky Import Netherlands) Draken. Still available over there, for just under €90 a bottle.
Colour:
Mahogany with a nice orange hue.
Nose:
Neat: Initial aromas leap out bright and tangy – orange and tropical fruits dominate. Varnished, fragrant exotic wood follows, reminiscent of a speciality timber shop. The ex-bourbon cask yields classic vanilla, a gentle layer of spice, and a touch of honey.
With water: The fruits edge forward but the overall nose stays consistent.
Palate:
Neat: the arrival showcases spice and strong wood, but the creamy, thick mouthfeel stands out. As the whisky develops, bitter notes and pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and curcumin assert themselves, building controlled heat. The oak here feels less exotic and more traditional. Orange and lemon peel surface, as does the astringency of albedo.
With water: Maracuja and apricot join, dark caramel adds depth, and pickled ginger provides an additional flavour twist.
Finish:
Initially thought to be short, yet on closer reflection, bitterness and orange peel linger comfortably, with gentle dryness sitting on the cheeks and forming a subtle, enduring finish.
Comments:
This cask offers a bold, youthful experience – possibly even more so than Drú. Neat, the balance wavers, but a dash of water can help, so long as it isn’t overdone. Too much water quickly suppresses the nose. Complex and enjoyable for those who appreciate assertive cask-forward whisky.
Rating: 6/10
Indri 2020 Single Cask #890 (2024) Review
This last dram for today is an Indri 2020 single cask, distilled on the 16th of November 2020 and bottled in August 2024, also for the Netherlands thanks to WIN Draken. It matured for a bit more than 3 years in an ex-bourbon cask #890. The label says that the type is ’’’peated ex-bourbon’, but I couldn’t find if this is peated malt matured in an ex-bourbon cask, or unpeated whisky matured in a peated ex-bourbon cask, meaning a cask that held peated bourbon. It might be the former, as peat is mentioned at the germinating part of the production process on Piccadilly’s website. Anyway, the cask yielded 136 bottles filled once again at 58.5% ABV, without chill filtration nor colouring. Expect to pay between €85 and €90 a bottle from Dutch shops.
Colour:
Chestnut.
Nose:
Neat: Delicate, dry smoke drifts forward, setting the tone. Oranges and maracuja peek through underneath, but smoke obscures the details. Some unusual notes – between sulphur and stables – briefly flicker, but way overripe bananas might be that off note eluding me.
With water: Smoke stays in charge and those odd notes vanish, though most of the fruits vanish too.
Palate:
Neat: Smoky peat and dryness headline the show, with robust wood notes again reminiscent of early Bimbers. The smoke no longer dominates flavours entirely; charred wood appears, as do orange, a handful of tropical fruits, wood bitterness, lemon peel, and flashes of ginger.
With water: Spice and bitter heat rise, while smoke continues to obscure most of the subtler elements.
Finish:
A touch of ashy smoke, faint traces of citrus, and a lingering sense of heavy wood extraction.
Comments:
This single cask feels a little rough and dominated by peat, which tends to smother subtler traits. Another year or two in cask could have added balance and development. The peat appears somewhat disconnected, more like a cask once holding peated spirit than proper peated malt. Flawed but not unworthy, this dram brings forceful youth at the expense of finesse.