AMRUT SINGLE MALT WHISKY - £9.99

[Deactivated Member]

I went into an Indian mini-mart yesterday for a can of coke.

Amongst the spirits behind the counter were several bottles of Amrut Single Malt Whisky for £9.99. They said that it was their normal price.

So, how can 'specialist' whisky shops justify charging between £20 and £25 for the self-same product?

[Deactivated Member]

Perhaps they or their family brings it over themselves at Indian prices.

I have bought Amrut here in Germany and even from the importers, I can't get close to that price.

[Deactivated Member]

I don't know the answer.

It did cross my mind that it might be fake. If yes, then they've got to massive trouble with the tube, bottle labelling, etc.

Another thought that I had was that the shop might have bought a case a while back, before the whisky fraternity became aware of Amrut.

Have to say that I quite like it.

Remember that it was "Mystery Bottle 1" at Jim Murray's Stourbridge tasting. The general concensus was that it was a fairly old Speysider. Everyone was stunned when the label was revealed.

[Deactivated Member]

Hmm, I think I'll be visiting a few mini-marts this weekend...

[Deactivated Member]

Perhaps they or their family brings it over themselves at Indian prices.

Our member from India, bond, informed us some time back that Amrut was not available in India. It's possible that has changed since, but the pertinent question is not how specialist whisky shops can justify charging between £20 and £25, but how this minimart can get away with £9.99. Unless they are selling at no profit or even a loss, it looks funny.

[Deactivated Member]

The shop that I bought the bottle from is but a stone's throw from a huge H M Revenue & Customs HQ building. Given that half the lunch-time clientele will be Customs officers, I'm assuming that the shop-keeper's not dozy enough to be selling 'hooky' bottles.

In any case, all the labelling on the bottle's spot on, as is all the design on the tube. A hell of a lot of trouble just to retail something for less than a tenner.

May be a clue on the label "B No.2 21-06-04". An early batch perhaps, when Amrut was testing the UK market. Also, label specifying The Premier Scotch Whisky Co. as sole EC importer - which it was back then.

[Willie JJ]

In any case, all the labelling on the bottle's spot on, as is all the design on the tube. A hell of a lot of trouble just to retail something for less than a tenner.

I agree eelbrook. It just sounds like a really good deal.

Do they have any of the cask strength, or the peated at reasonable prices? If so then buy some, because they are really fantastic.

[Deactivated Member]

Opened this last night.

Under the usual foil, noticed that there was the paper Indian 'export' label. So, if this was a fake, the fraudster's gone to a huge amount of trouble.

I still think that my theory holds good. That this was some of the initial stock that was 'trialled' in Indian restaurants and supermarkets to test the market.

Anyway, the nectar itself tasted just fine. I'm not good with descriptors, but it came across as old than its years. Not a lightweight. A good everyday warming dram - at £9.99 a bottle.