Turntable Spirits: Paradise Funk / Amrut Collaboration Drop 03

Being transparent while also maintaining a core range creates an interesting dichotomy. I imagine Turntable founders Ally en Gordon Stevenson want some sort of consistent flavour profile, but they also share the exact recipes (including percentages) on their website.

That recipe has changed going from batch one (still in the previous, slightly rounder bottle type) to batch two. Yet the official tasting notes have stayed the same. That’s common for blends. For the big brands too. They follow the same outline for each batch, but amend the recipe where needed to stay as close as possible to the desired flavour profile.

It’s just that we rarely get an insight in how a recipe changes precisely. Here’s the recipe for the first batch of Paradise Funk:

• 13% – Knockdhu Virgin Oak Barrel
• 18% – Invergordon Ex-cognac Barrel
• 8% – Blair Athol Bourbon Barrel
• 30% – ‘Unnamed Speyside’ Virgin Oak Barrel
• 11% – North British Virgin Oak Barrel
• 20% – Benrinnes Chinkapin Barrel

And here’s the recipe for the second batch:

• 5% – Knockdhu Virgin Oak Barrel
• 22% – Mannochmore Chinkapin Barrel
• 17% – Loch Lomond 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel
• 13% – North British Virgin Oak Barrel
• 33% – Marypark Blended Malt

The two barely resemble each other. And yet, the flavour profiles should be similar. Writing this up makes me realise I should have tried to secure a sample of the first batch. That’s my bad.

I did get a sample of the Turntable x Amrut, the brand’s third Collaboration Drop. That accounts for something, right? You can find the full recipe for that one here.

Turntable Paradise Funk (46%, OB, 2025)

Nose: A light floral note to start, quickly followed by a sliver of brioche, sweetened apple juice and gentle notes of red fruits. There’s a sliver of butterscotch too, maybe some caramel and underripe banana too. Finally just a mineral hint in the background. Taste: Satisfying creamy mouthfeel. Hints of ripe apples, some stewed pairs and gentle oak spices in the background, more along the lines of ginger. Maybe some sandalwood too, with then some icing sugar adding sweetness. Finish: Medium length. Some light toasted notes reminiscent of aniseed, maybe fennel. Also honey, ripe apples and barley sugar.

Turntable x Amrut ‘Collaboration Drop 03’ (53%, OB, 2026)

Nose: A tinge of nail polish to start, but quickly followed by peaches, jammy apricots and a few drops of honey as well. There’s a light cereal note in the background, accompanied by melted butter and a light marzipan-esque touch. Taste: Buttery mouthfeel. Arriving on sweet barley, faint notes of tinned pineapple and touches of oak char as well. Then definitely a spicier side with cloves, ginger and some allspice, although never too spicy, and with some light apple peel too. Finish: Medium length. The spices linger for a while, but then make way for peach syrup, apple compote and a light bitter note.