The Godawan 02 is the second of the series, from the house of Diageo and keeps with the ethos of  sustainability and conservation. Considering the distillery calls the deserts of Rajasthan its home, water conservation is not just a responsibility but also prime.

The whisky is very much artisan, just like its sibling, embracing the use of botanicals – Rasna and Jatamansi, to treat the wood used for maturing their whisky. While the Godawan 01 leveraged PX casks for primary maturation, and treated American exbourbon casks for fiishing their whisky; the 02 deviates a bit by aging their spirit in barrels made of cherry wood that have been treated with these very botanicals. Though cherry wood is not commonly used, it is more porous and imparts a lot more floral and subtle spiced notes in addition to the influence of the botanicals on the aging spirit.

Abv : 46%

Eye : Tawny | Natural Colouring

Nose : Vanilla with a pinch of spice, honey, and char. A bit of orange zest with barley; toast, smoke and cantaloupe, hints of raisins, berries, oak, pepper, and a subtle spice.

Taste : Charred melons paired with caramel and demerara sugar. Fruity with traces of lychee and pears; a sweetness that tapers with time, along with dried pepper and bay leaves.

Finish : Medium | Pears and spice, caramel and char, with an accompanied warmth.

The Godawan is a pleasant, no nonsense whisky that embraces both spice and sweetness. It exhibits a more tropical lineage but with a touch of aromatics and sweetness that is restrained and balanced. The spice is omnipresent but once again not overpowering. There’s good complexity and with it a guilt free affair, but not at a level that really transcends.

At AUD $110, it does seem priced higher than whiskies of a similar calibre, but what you are getting is a whisky that’s matured differently, influenced by India’s tropical climate. The Godavan 02, all in all is a well rounded dram, reflecting what the distillery had intended; serving easily as a daily sipper, placed comfortably as a mid range whisky.

Slainte!