India, 16 September, 2026: Paul John Indian Single Malt Whisky and SMAC India® (Single Malt Amateur Club) have unveiled their fourth exclusive Single Cask release, Cask #24194, christened ‘The Doppelgänger’. Limited to just 156 bottles, the expression brings together the character of Indian Single Malt with the influence of an American White Oak Sazerac Rye Cask, previously used to mature Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey. With close to nine years of tropical maturation behind it, the whisky carries a dark copper hue, with dried cherry, apricot, liquorice and hints of plum cake on the nose, followed by spiced chocolate, warm cinnamon roll, vanilla and fluffy caramel custard on the palate, leading to a rich finish of caramel toffee and lingering vanilla.
For the first time in the Paul John-SMAC Single Cask collaboration, a Sazerac Rye cask sits at the centre of the maturation story. Its influence goes beyond a simple layer of spice: the mature malt takes on added depth through rye character, cinnamon warmth, dried-fruit richness, chocolate, vanilla and caramel, creating a profile that moves between sweet, spicy and dessert-led notes while retaining Paul John’s concentrated tropical character.
The Doppelgänger is more than a Single Cask. It is the latest chapter in a partnership that has played an important role in building India’s whisky club culture. SMAC was the first whisky club in India to embark on a dedicated Single Cask journey with Paul John Whisky, creating an opportunity for members to access an expression developed specifically for the community. The first Paul John Single Cask for SMAC, Cask #6028, was unveiled in 2020, followed by the twin releases ALTER and EGO. The Doppelgänger is the fourth Paul John-SMAC Single Cask collaboration and marks SMAC India®’s 11th exclusive whisky edition for the club, extending a wider programme of community-led releases developed with whisky producers and partners.
Globally, collaborations between distilleries and whisky clubs have long given enthusiasts an opportunity to move beyond the core portfolio and become part of the discovery process itself. In India, where whisky appreciation is increasingly being shaped by tasting communities, clubs and enthusiasts seeking greater understanding of provenance, cask influence and individuality, the Paul John-SMAC association has helped bring this model into the Indian Single Malt landscape.
Commenting on the release, Paul P. John, Chairman, Paul John Indian Single Malt Whisky, said, “Our association with SMAC has always been about more than creating an exclusive bottle. It has been about bringing whisky enthusiasts closer to the spirit and making them part of the journey. The Doppelgänger is particularly special because the community experienced the cask without knowing its identity and chose it purely on what they found in the glass. That trust makes this fourth release a meaningful milestone in our journey together.”
Hemanth A. Rao, Founder, SMAC India®, said, “For us, the most exciting part is that members chose the whisky before they knew anything about it. There was no age, cask or identity to influence the room – only the liquid. What came afterwards made that choice even more fascinating. This is a nearly nine-year-old Single Cask, and for the first time in our collaboration with Paul John we are seeing what an American White Oak Sazerac Rye cask can do to a mature Indian malt. It brings far more than rye spice: there are layers of dried fruit, liquorice, cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla and caramel running through the whisky. Many of us initially read those rich, dark-fruit and dessert notes as sherry-like, but there was no sherry cask involved. That is exactly why the name The Doppelgänger felt right. It is a whisky that challenged our assumptions, and one the community chose entirely on taste.”
Priced at Rs. 8,200, The Doppelgänger was bottled in September 2026 and unveiled during Spirits by the Shore 2026, SMAC India®’s annual whisky-led destination tour and community gathering, at the Paul John Visitor Centre in Goa. The limited allocation is being made available across Goa and Karnataka. While the Paul John Visitor Centre remains at the heart of the annual SMAC experience, extending the allocation to Karnataka reflects the growing reach of the community and its continued interest in exploring distinctive Paul John expressions.
With its fourth consecutive Single Cask release, the Paul John and SMAC partnership continues to demonstrate how whisky culture can be built not just through what is put in the bottle, but through the people who gather around it – tasting, questioning, choosing and discovering together, one cask at a time.
About Paul John Whisky
Paul John Indian Single Malt Whisky, produced by John Distilleries in Goa, is an award-winning Indian single malt crafted from Indian 6-row barley. Non-chill filtered and made without any added colours, Paul John Indian Single Malt offers a range of expressions, including Brilliance, Bold, the award-winning Zodiac series, exclusive Christmas editions and sherry-cask variants. Since 2012, Paul John Whisky has expanded to 44 countries, amassing over 390+ awards globally, and establishing itself as Asia’s most awarded single malt. For more information, visit www.pauljohnwhisky.com.
About Single Malt Amateur Club (SMAC India®)
Established in 2011, SMAC India® (Single Malt Amateur Club) is a community-led platform created to make single malt whisky appreciation more accessible, informed and participative. Over the years, SMAC India® has pioneered community-led single malt appreciation in India through collaborations with distilleries, brand partners and distributors, bringing enthusiasts closer to the people, provenance, casks and processes behind whisky.
Beyond its exclusive bottlings, the club curates brand advocacy sessions, educational tastings and learning programmes, whisky tours and destination experiences, while continuing to provide an open forum for amateurs, professionals and connoisseurs to share tasting notes, experiences and perspectives without the traditional snobbery often associated with whisky. The Doppelgänger marks SMAC India®’s 11th exclusive whisky edition and was unveiled during Spirits by the Shore 2026 at the Paul John’s visitor centre, the club’s annual whisky-led destination tour and community gathering.
