Review #790 - Godawan Series 01 'Rich and Rounded' Indian Single Malt

Alwar distillery, based is Rajasthan, is owned by Diageo. They produce a single malt sold under the brand Godawan; there are a couple of core releases, including this Series 01 called 'Rich and Rounded, as well as Series 02, which is called 'Fruit and Spice.'

Alwar uses 6 row barley to make this single malt, a practice which is more common in Indian whisky production compared to other single malt producing countries such as Scotland, the US, or Japan, which generally use 2 row barley. This whisky is aged in PX sherry casks and ex-bourbon casks, but those bourbon casks have an unusual feature: they're treated with Indian botanicals, which could add more of an herbal or spicy side to the flavor profile.

This single malt is bottled at 46% ABV, and it was first released here in the US in 2022.

Godawan Series 01 'Rich and Rounded' Indian Single Malt

India - Single Malt

Price: USD 84 (2026)

Age Statement: NAS

Strength: 46% ABV

Cask Makeup: Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and botanical-infused ex-bourbon casks

Details: Bottled 2022

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 2 years; bottles at 90%, 80% (blind tasting), and 70% (blind tasting) fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Funky, a bit dirty, lots of sulphur and sherry cask influence. Wood varnish and a strange umami character give way to wildflowers, honey, and sea salt caramel truffles. Fruits appear next: pomegranate, orange seeds, apricot jam. We also got hints of burnt popcorn and mushrooms - very unusual.

Palate: The mouthfeel has a medium thickness. Orange, honey, caramel, and sweet barley grain combine with a hint of savory funk. Cinnamon and tannins add a spice kick; we get softer notes of raisins, floral notes, and a vegetal malt note. Vanilla and orange blossom are accents.

Finish: Stewed fruit like raisin, a bit of malt, but it's still quite cask-forward. Floral scents like fresh flower petals or orange blossoms appear, and we get some juicy orange balanced by cinnamon spice. Lots of character; it has a medium length finish.

Final Note: This is a very interesting single malt with an unusual flavor profile. At first, we were hit with a sulphury, sherry-forward experience much like a Macallan whisky; time brought stronger funk flavors and more malt. There's a nice fruit dimension as well from the PX sherry casks, but in the late palate and the finish, the herbal and floral notes from those botanical ex-bourbon casks really start to take over. This might not be a whisky for everyone, but it's fascinating, and we like it for that.

Value is okay, just about average. The price on this bottle has fluctuated between $80 and $85 in our area over the past few years; if you want a bottle with a fun combination of sherry, floral notes, and funk, this is a solid pickup.

Our Rating: 6.9 / 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: 6.36

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.