Ever since I learnt coffee cupping, I have been exploring the world of specialty coffees and have almost completely given up on instant coffee. This has given me the opportunity to understand and experience coffee way beyond the usual lattes and cappuccinos. It has also given me a chance to learn about the amazing coffee estates in India, mostly located down South – Kelagur, Riverdale, Harley, etc. And it has been a great experience learning all these new things about my delicious cuppa. In fact, now I always have a bottle of cold brew brewing up in my refrigerator at all times. India has some really great specialty coffee brands that are putting in major efforts to not just bring delicious coffee to our filters, aeropresses and moka pots, but also helping the Indian coffee growers, as well as putting the Indian coffee on the world map.
And this exploration led me to an amazing, outstanding coffee launched by the super awesome coffee roasters – KC Roasters by Koinonia – the Amrut Cask Aged Coffee.
Koinonia means community. It is the coming together of like-minded people, all united in their search for delicious Indian coffee. They build relationships with local Indian farmers to responsibly procure the best coffee in season. Then, they design roast profiles to dross out every bean’s true taste-potential. The experience in every cup is a testament to India’s terrain, the hands of the farmer, and the craft involved in shaping the coffee’s profile. With every sip, KC Roasters fuel a community that is passionate about Indian coffee ad the people involved in its creation. Koinonia is founded by three amazing people, but chiefly managed by Shannon D’Souza, who is an Autralian native. Shannon’s grandfather owns and runs a coffee farm in South India, and has been exporting specialty coffee to Australia and other countries for decades.
Amrut Distilleries is a renowned Indian brand of single malt whiskies and is the first single malt whiskey to be made in India. The world ‘Amrut’ literally means the ‘nectar of life’ or the ‘drink of the Gods’, the brand itself translates it as ‘Elixir of Life’. Amrut Whiskey rose to fame when renowned whiskey connoisseur Jim Murray gave it an outstanding rating of 82 out of 100, in 2005 as well as 2010. In fact, in 2010, he named it as third-best in the world.
The Amrut Cask Aged Coffee Beans by KC Roasters have been aged in Amrut Whiskey barrels , making for a complex, stiff beverage. The coffee ebans for this coffee are sourced from Koinonia’s family estate – Kelagur in Chikmanglur, Karnataka. When these beans are roasted, aged and brewed, they produce a unique depth complexity and a long, sweet finish. Today, it is considered to be one fo the best coffees in the world, and I couldn’t agree more.
The coffee comes packaged in a cute black packaging, which can be rolled back and sealed with the adhesive strip. As soon as you open the package, you get a strong whiff of delicious whiskey notes with a smooth aroma of freshly roasted coffee.
Notes from my coffee cupping:
This coffee can be had as a hot brew as well as a cold brew. I personally prefer it as a cold brew as in this way, the bitterness and acidity keeps low, and enables me to experience the typical notes of the coffee much better than I do in a hot brew. Just like I like my single malt whiskey on the rocks, I like my Amrut Cask Aged Coffee brewed cold on the rocks too.
The coffee opens with a delicate whiskey aroma and gives a really smooth, sweet mouthfeel. The coffee beans are a medium roast, and give a medium-bodied, low-acidity coffee. The coffee has notes of rum and raisins in it. I also observed a slight note of prunes in it, especially in the initial days after opening the packet, which felt really pleasant to me, though mostly its all about the rum and raisin notes as the roasters note as well. It does not have any off after tastes, but the pleasant flavors of the brew stay with you for sometime after you gulp it down.
For me, the coffee is a little more about the aroma and the feel of having the premium coffee, than the taste itself. For me, it is a feeling of joy each time I open the packet and take out spoonfuls to make my cold brew. I am nearing the end of my second packet, and each cup that I have brewed out of it, has been a great cup. I prefer having this coffee after a meal or in the afternoons or evenings.
Note: The coffee does not contain any alcohol in it, it just has the unique flavor notes.
I strongly recommend this coffee to every coffee lover who wants to experiment and try out something new, who is keen to explore different coffees. Above all, this coffee is a true testament to amazing Indian coffee, great coffee roasters, a really outstanding whiskey distillery and above all, the developing palate of Indian coffee drinker. In a majorly tea-drinking nation, coffee, and not just the one imported from, say, Ethiopia, Kenya or Colombia, but great native Indian coffee.
Take a bow, KC Roasters for this Amrut Cask Aged Coffee.
