Review #611 - Indri Dru Cask Strength
This expression from the Piccadily distillery and their Indri brand takes its name from Sanskrit - 'Dru' refers to wood or a 'vessel of wood,' in this case referring to a vessel which carried drinks to be offered to the Gods, at least according to the brand. This Dru expression is bottled at cask strength, which comes in at 57.2% ABV.
The cask mix chosen for Dru is simple, actually: all ex-bourbon casks, so we should get to see plenty of that distillate character. Then again, oak has a strong influence on the spirit in a short time in the Indian climate - that seems to be evidenced by the very dark color of the whisky in the bottle.
Indri Dru Cask Strength
India - Single Malt
Price: USD 70 (2025)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 57.2% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon casks
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 4 months from a sample (thanks u/purelojik !). Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Rich with a dark complexion - tobacco, musty old perfumed oak, then brighter stone fruits like nectarine and peach. Strawberries and tinned Mandarin oranges add to the fruit side; clove, vanilla, and caramel add a baking side. There's a lot of depth here, and leather and spice notes add more maturity later; this is an excellent nose.
Palate: A medium-thick mouthfeel; rich nectarine and peach, just tons of stone fruit up front. It's a nice mixture of sweet, juicy, and tart, and we get just a hint of smokiness; then the mature oak notes arrive, including licorice, anise, tobacco, and then a lovely root beer or sassafras note.
Finish: Leathery oak, lots of cola, that dark complexion continues. The fruits grow more subtle, but they're still juicy: plums, peach, some tangy nectarine. It's leathery, and tobacco grows stronger; sweetness from vanilla adds balance. This is a medium-long finish.
Final Note: Outstanding whisky - this is a tropical fruit and oak bomb with tons of character and a lot of layers. There's good balance in this single malt: plenty of sweetness from the fruits and vanilla, but lots of drying, leathery oak to balance it. Because of that cask strength presentation, all of those flavors are delivered with a good punch, too.
Value on this bottle is excellent - one of the highest that we've rated. This is still sold for $70 to $80 in our area at this point, and at that price, it's a bargain.
Our Average Rating: 8.8 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 8.45
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
