To celebrate Diwali – the Festival of Light (2nd. – 6th. November) and Old Fashioned Week (5th. -14th. November), Rampur Distillery has very kindly sent me their Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky Old Fashioned Cocktail to try!
(Many Thanks Rampur Distillery!)
Diwali celebrates the Indian New Year, traditionally enjoyed with fireworks, the exchanging of sweets and the lighting of candles and lamps in all the homes in India.
Rampur Indian Single Malt Whiskies are a range of luxury whiskies produced by one of India’s oldest distilleries, Rampur Distillery. These super premium malt whiskies, which are styled as “The Kohinoor of Single Malts”, are steeped in the rich Indian heritage and enduring traditions of the Maharajas. Rampur whiskies are named after the princely India state known for its rich heritage and royal traditions.

The Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky Old Fashioned Cocktail is infused with Chai Tea, Cardamom Pods, Cloves, Cumin Seeds & Cinnamon, Demerara Sugar Syrup and Cardamom Bitters!
Rampur Distillery is owned by Radico Khaitan, which was established in 1943 and is the largest Indian beverage company. Radico Khaitan is also one of the oldest whisky distillers in India and Rampur Distillery has been distilling high quality and innovative malt for over 25 years. Rampur Whisky is distilled, matured and bottled in Uttar Pradesh in the foothills of the Himalayas.
The Process
The Himalayas provide polar opposite climate conditions throughout the year, which means that Indian whisky matures significantly more quickly than other whiskies such as Scotch and Irish whiskies.
As Rampur Distillery is situated at the foothills of The Himalayas, the cold winters and hot summers give their whiskies added dimension and produce single malts with depth of flavour which are smooth and mellow tasting with a long-lasting finish. Master Blender, Anup Barik, was born into a family of blenders and brings decades of expertise and perfection to the blending of these fine whiskies.
I find that Rampur is a great dram for people who are new to whisky. Their sweet, tropical fruit trademark is an easy introduction to the world of whiskies!
So, what did I think of the cocktail? Here are my tasting notes …
Tasting Notes – The Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky Old Fashioned (26.4%)
Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky infused with Chai Tea, Cardamom Pods, Cloves, Cumin Seeds & Cinnamon, Demerara Sugar Syrup and Cardamom Bitters.
Nose: Rich ginger and a whole myriad of aromatic spices!
Palate: So many flavours with ginger being on top followed by cloves, cumin and all wrapped up in sweet sugar and bitters coupled with the solid body of Asava whisky. Finish: A warming, spicy ginger finish with a sweet and bitter combo and those ever present indian spices! Overall: A flavoursome rich, full-bodied cocktail – one of the best I’ve ever tasted! |
I’ve also included my Tasting Notes for Asava Whisky ….
Tasting Notes – Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky (45%)
Matured in American Bourbon barrels and meticulously perfected in Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks for the first time in History!
Non-chill filtered.
£64.95
![]() Nose: Creamy biscuit, vanilla and tropical fruit. The blackcurrant is there but arrives slowly. Then make way for chocolate and coffee. Palate: Gorgeous Lychee with very smooth creamy chocolate. Finish: Very peppery with tannic and tobacco. Overall: The red colour from the Cabernet Sauvignon casks is very Alluring – and so is the taste! Forget the dessert course – just have a Rampur Asava! |
Rampur Indian Single Malt Whisky is available from The Whisky Exchange
Once again, many thanks to Rampur Distillery (Instagram: @rampursinglemalt) for the lovely sample!