Amrut Intermediate Sherry 750ml

Color: Medium-dark molasses.

On the nose: This is a sherry cask, all right – almost stereotypically and comically so initially. Straight out of the bottle there are notes of raisins, rubber balloon, and sulfurous nuances of struck match. Richer fruity scents of stewed plums, matcha green tea, and a hint of Bubblicious grape chewing gum emerge. I was cautioned that this takes a long time to open up, so I’ll leave it for a bit and revisit…

OK, back now, a few hours later. This has settled down, with more rich woodiness augmented by some exotically spicy notes. Mukhwas again, as well as cocoa powder and an umami note of soy broth. Still a lingering wisp of sulfur to speak for the sherry cask.

In the mouth: Again, tasted in two parts. Firstly, a hot entry gives way to an oxidative note of sherry at midpalate, with a drying mouthfeel. On the finish, this has some of the roasty, meaty, and spicy notes I admired in the bourbon cask. Unfortunately, on the first go-round this lapses into a lingering chemical flavor of sulfur.

Revisiting this later, I get a more sedate entrance with a tart flavor of lemon juice at midpalate. Enters the back of the mouth with salted cashews. There’s a smoky-savory note of mesquite wood that persists through the finish, which has a reprise of the tart citric note and some lingering chai tea and mocha notes.