Every seed first meets the soil. That is where its journey of endless possibilities begins. Potato turns into vodka, and wheat into whisky.
Invited to every party, poured generously and loved so widely, a good bottle of whisky is a testimony to time, patience, perseverance and hard work put together by a good distiller.
The instinct to learn where our favourites come from is almost an innate one, and if a bottle of Paul John whisky is your elixir, then heading to the Paul John Visitor Centre in Cuncolim in South Goa is a must-visit whenever you are in Goa.
Housed in a yellow Goan heritage styled bungalow, the big gates of the visitor centre are always open to guests who want to know a little more about what actually goes on behind the scenes at the Paul John distillery.
Experienced, knowledgeable and witty, your tour guide and visitor centre manager, Bhavish Bopanna, carries both, his tangible and intangible tools that he requires to take you on a simple and knowledge-packed walk through the distillation process.
Right from a warm welcome and a pleasant smile to a patient question and answer session, Bhavish is both, your professor and friend guiding you along the way.
THE START
Walk into the grand hall and take a moment to listen to every wall that has a story of its own to tell.
Awards, art, a mountain of whisky bottles and Paul John merchandise for you to take home, the experience begins even before you realise it has.
Once you have gotten comfortable, allow Bhavish to escort you to an audio-visual room where he will give you a detailed course on whisky, its types, how it is made and what makes Paul John single malt Whisky one of its kind, internationally acclaimed, award winning and a cut above the rest.
Which will be followed by a presentation of the story of founder, Paul John, who will be visually introduced to you via a video presentation.
Furthermore, say hello to master distiller, Michael D’Souza who is responsible for all the bottled goodness at the Paul John distillery.
WALK THE TALK
Once the screens go off, leave your seat behind and go on the real adventure as you follow Bhavish through the distillery while he shows you around all while your olfactory bulb turns on with no off switch in sight.
Making the best of the experience is a given. However, make sure to pay attention and abide to the safety instructions such as not using your mobile phone in certain areas of the distillery due to safety reasons.
Moving on, once Bhavish has explained the technicalities, the second last step of the tour includes taking a flight of stairs down to a dark and dingy cask cellar where you will be greeted by barrelsful of matured whisky and a lasting impression.
WHISKY TIPSY
And, last but definitely not the least, nose, sip, and savour at one of the finest whisky tasting sessions as you nibble on a platter of dark chocolate, orange slices and grapes all while tasting the different whiskies that you have just learnt so much about.
Being fond of whisky is one thing, but learning why it tastes the way it does is another delight altogether.
And if you are someone who loves whisky and learning, then visiting the Paul John Visit Centre is the perfect little tipsy gift to yourself.
DETAILS
WHAT: Distillery Tour
WHERE: Paul John Visitor Centre, Cuncolim, South Goa
TOUR PACKAGES
1. Orange package: Rs 450 (Distillery Tour only)
2. Burgundy package: Rs 750 (Distillery tour and tasting of 3 Flagship)
3. Green package: Rs 1000 (Distillery tour and tasting of 6 expressions)
4. Blue package: Rs 1500 (Distillery tour and tasting 5 expressions)
TIMINGS: Monday to Saturday, 11 am to 4 pm
CONTACT: +91 7447788979