Kavalan Classic Taiwanese Single Malt Whisky (750ml) (Previously $80)

SKU #1166155 90 points Whisky Advocate

When the news arrived that a distillery was being built in Taiwan, the whisky world pretty much dismissed it. When Kavalan appeared at a precocious 42 months, it sat up and took notice. Owned by food and beverage conglomerate King Car, Kavalan started producing in 2006 with blender Ian Chang at the helm — and a hotline to consultant Dr. Jim Swan. Taiwan’s tropical climate pushes the maturation cycle along at a ferocious rate, but the key here is its complexity. Maybe it’s auto-suggestion, but I could swear there’s ginseng in here, as well as honeycomb and black cherry pie filling. Fresh and clean, the spirit is rich and accompanied with great wood. Mature whisky in three years? It’s an accountant’s dream! (DB, Winter 2010)

K&L Notes

After so much time spent merely reading about the great single malt whiskies from Taiwan's Kavalan distillery, we can finally get our hands on them here in the states! The first release from Kavalan was their classic single malt expression that uses ex-sherry, ex-bourbon, and ex-wine casks of between four and four and a half years of age for the marriage. The first thing that strikes you as you taste it is how un-youthful it is. It might as well be a 12-year-old malt from the Scottish Highlands, but with an incredible supple-fruited character. The malty character, the stone fruits, the accents of vanilla--they're all there, round and supple, but there's something just a bit different going on from the classic Scottish profile. It's the humid conditions of Kavalan's warehouse that allows the maturation to take place much faster, and while you might normally be skeptical of such claims, the proof is in the pudding here. This is real deal whisky from the next big thing.