Dining

Sweet and fruity Indri Indian single malt brings Himalayan‑influence to world whisky stage

Indri Trini and Agneya whisky

If you’ve been following the fast-evolving world whisky scene, you’ll likely be aware of Indri. In only a few years, the Himalayan foothills distillery has gone from ambitious newcomer to awards favourite, with its core range led by the triple-cask Indri Trini.

Launched in 2022, the brand now claims to be India’s most-awarded single malt, collecting more than 90 international accolades.  

Indri uses locally grown non-GMO six‑row barley from Haryana and Rajasthan, a grain choice that has helped define its naturally fruity and floral house style.

We’ve been sampling Indri Trini, and its smoky sibling, Indri Agneya…

Indri uses locally grown non-GMO six‑row barley from Haryana and Rajasthan…

A new voice from the Himalayan foothills

Crafted in the village of Indri in Haryana, northern India, near the catchment of the Yamuna river, the distillery basks in a climate that directly informs the whisky’s identity.

Hot summers and cool winters accelerate the interaction between spirit and oak, helping develop flavour with speed and intensity. 

The distillery spans 168 acres and houses 14 Scottish-style copper pot stills, alongside more than 75,000 casks maturing across an unusually varied wood programme that includes ex-bourbon, French wine, PX sherry, Marsala and virgin American oak.

The maestro behind the liquid is master blender Surrinder Kumar. His approach blends classic pot still whisky-making with a distinctly Indian sense of climate-led maturation.

Introducing Indri Trini whisky

Hailed as India’s first triple-cask matured single malt, Indri Trini is the product of ex-bourbon barrels, French wine casks and Pedro Ximénez sherry oak. This three-way maturation gives the whisky its ‘Trini’ identity, amplified by the northern Indian climate.

The warm, dry conditions and wide temperature swings accelerate wood extraction, drawing deeper influence from each cask type and layering the spirit with richness while preserving lift and freshness. A process which also gives Trini its darker hue.

Bottled at 46% ABV, the nose is a sweet roundel of honey, vanilla, and sultanas. IIt’s reminiscent of  baklava pastry. 

On the palate, there’s a gentle pepper, and a berry brightness. PX sherry brings darker dried fruit tones, orange zest and a chocolate richness. The mouth feel is unctuous and creamy.

By way of comparison, Indri Agneya is a lightly peated single malt; the name comes from the Sanskrit for “belonging to fire”.

Matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, it balances smoke with the brand’s signature fruit-led style.

On the nose, there’s vanilla sweetness, dried apple, spice and fruit jam, before a thread of peat smoke emerges. The palate builds with mango, and banana, rich toffee, and a restrained smokiness.

And there’s plenty more to explore. Beyond the core line-up, Indri’s portfolio includes the cask-strength Indri Drú, annual Diwali Collector’s Editions, travel-retail exclusives, the City Series and rarer limited releases including Founder’s Reserve 11 Year Old.

Indri Trini is available from The Whisky Exchange, priced £43.75. 

The Borders Distillery Eight Year Old inaugural whisky builds on cashmere and tweed heritage

The Borders Distillery in Hawick has unveiled its first single malt, marking the return of whisky production to the Scottish Borders for the first time since 1837. Limited to 10,000 bottles, the eight-year-old inaugural release has been matured in first-fill bourbon casks and finished in Malmsey Madeira casks. For managing director Giancarlo Bianchi, this debutant…

Johnnie Walker Blue Label curries favour with new Indian Festive Blend limited edition whisky 

A new Johnnie Walker Blue Label blend has been created for India’s festive season, drawing on rare reserves and flavours inspired by the country’s culinary traditions. Johnnie Walker has unveiled the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Indian Festive Blend, a limited-edition expression developed by Johnnie Walker Master Blender Dr Emma Walker using some of the rare…

Unknown's avatar

About Steve May

Creator of Home Cinema Choice magazine, and Editor of The Luxe Review, Steve muses and reviews for Trusted Reviews, T3, Home Cinema Choice, Games Radar, Good Housekeeping, Louder Sounds, StereoNet and Boat International. He’s also the editor of professional home cinema website Inside CI. He's on Twitter/X, Tiktok and Instagram as @SteveMay_UK