On Tap Special: Occasionally we are invited to tastings by DC restaurants. Occasionally we find beers or booze that are magnificent. Occasionally we share them with you.

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We’ve been to Jack Rose before and always enjoyed ourselves, so it wasn’t hard to accept an invitation from them to attend a tasting. We are big fans of whiskey in its many forms and Jack Rose is the holy grail for any spirit enthusiast, boasting the largest collection of single malt whiskey in at least the United States. What made us particularly curious about the event was it showcasing Amrut, the first Indian single malt to hit the U.S. market and its Fusion  single malt boasting placement as the 3rd finest whiskey in the world in Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2010. Although most of their selections are made exclusively with Indian barley. Fusion gets its name for combining Indian barley with Scottish barley and peat.  The result was a complexity of fruit and smoke that we’ve never experience in a Scotch whiskey, the sweet notes working well with the classic flavors. Also offered by Amrut were the Single Malt, Single Malt Peated and Old Ports Rum. Much like the Fusion, each had that sweet undertone and, for better or worse, made the whiskey stand out from other brands we’ve had. We were even lucky enough to gain some insight from Harvey Fry, whose own world renowned collection of single malts was the inspiration for Jack Rose. Harvey offered us a comparison to Amrut’s higher end Cask Strength version of its Single Malt. The smooth, silky body and complex grace in the flavor reminded us why we drink whiskey in the first place. None of us are whiskey experts, but we do enjoy a good snifter of Scotch. If you’re looking for something new, Amrut’s Fusion or (if you’re feeling rich) Cask Strength Single Malt should be on your list to try. If you’re looking for a place that serves great food and is a liquid library of bold & beautiful whiskies, Jack Rose should be your destination this weekend.