KAVALAN

The award-winning whisky distillery located in Taiwan where whisky ages approximately 3x faster than in Scotland due to intense climate and humidity.  So, these young whiskies are actually a force to be reckoned.  Don't confuse age with maturity.  

* FLIGHT ONE *

Expression 1
 Distillery Select

Background: A recent addition to Kavalan's core line-up.  Note that this bottling is for the United States at 43% Alcohol By Volume (ABV), and not the 40% version that is available in the rest of the world.  

Stats:  ABV = 43%. Age = No Age Statement (NAS)

Tasting Notes: Similar to the Kavalan Classic, but this expression has a little more range of flavor. Typical ex-bourbon cask notes.  Vanilla nose. Taste is malty with a little bit of baking spice and a pleasant melon finish.  Nice, easy drinking here - not a lot of complexity, but a good warm up for the single casks to come.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Pour?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 2
 KavaFan Solist Bourbon Cask

Background:  Initial and Exclusive bottling for a Kavalan Fan Club.  While these Solist Single Casks do not have an age statement, you can figure out the age by reviewing the the cask number and the bottling code.  The first two digits after any lettering equals the year the spirit was barreled (08 = 2008). Then the back label will have the bottling date (2017 for this one).  Then, math. More than 8 years is pretty old for a Kavalan, especially an ex-bourbon cask.  These usually get bottled by the time they reach 6 years.

Stats: ABV = 55.6%
.  Cask #B080828075. Age 8+. 2008 Vintage.

Tasting Notes: Forget 'sherry bombs', what we have here is the most intense 'Bourbon Bomb' ever!  Big time butterscotch.  

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 3
 Pedro Ximenez Cask Strength

Background:  Part of their premium Cask Strength series which also includes spirit aged in other types of ex-Sherry casks like Moscatel, Amontillado, and Manzanilla.

Stats: ABV = 56.3%. Cask #PX100630020A. Age = 5+. 2010 Vintage.  One of 498 bottles.

Tasting Notes: For such a high ABV, the nose is subtle, yet complex.  That subtleness continues on the palate with oily mouthfeel and notes of maple syrup and cocoa.  Very well balanced.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 4
 Vinho Barrique Cask Strength

 

Background: The casks for this expression are sourced American Oak casks that previously held red and white wine.  They are then shaved and toasted before aging. In 2015, a single cask Vinho Barrique like this one won best single malt at the World Whiskies Awards. This cemented Kavalan's status as a world class whisky maker.  Pretty amazing considering that the distillery's first release of any kind was at the end of 2008.  

Stats: ABV = 57.1%. Cask #W090220034. Age 5+. 2009 Vintage.

Tasting Notes: Again, a subtle nose, this time with a bit of spice.  Then the taste is this wonderful combination of black currant and dark chocolate.  Always complex, never disappoints.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

* FLIGHT TWO *

Expression 1
  Sherry Cask Strength

Background: The Solist series of single cask strength bottlings includes sherry, bourbon, vinho barrique, port, brandy, Fino sherry, rum, and a peaty cask, plus the premium sherry casks mentioned above.  The 'Solist' designation does not appear on US releases due to a branding conflict with an established entity, most likely Soliste Wines of Northern California.

Stats: ABV = 57.8%.  Cask #S100127022A. Age 5+. 2010 Vintage.

Tasting Notes: The combination of milk and dark chocolate on the taste results in less of a sherry bomb than expected from the powerful nose.  And that's a good thing, for my palate at least.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 2
   Fino Cask Strength

Background: Fino is a dry white wine made from palomino grapes.  Like most sherry production, the solera system is utilized, so over time, the cask can absorb a wide range of aged wines. 

Stats:  ABV = 57.8%.
 Cask #S060814026. Age = 7+. 2006 Vintage.

Tasting Notes: The nose offers a more buttery note, compared to the other types of ex-sherry single malts from this tasting.  That element continues over into the taste with a light oily mouthfeel.  The Fino has a much wider range of flavor. Kiwi mango early on, followed by a spicy cinnamon finish.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 3
SMWS 139.5 Port Barrique

Background: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottled its initial single cask releases of Kavalan in 2019, giving them the distillery code of 139.  Two were Vinho, two were bourbon, and two were port.  The Society has branches worldwide and members can purchase not only single malt Scotch, but single malts from around world, like this one.

Stats: ABV = 57.8%.  Age and Vintage Unknown. Limited to 181 bottles worldwide, of which the USA 750ml allocation was 60.

Tasting Notes: Fruity black cherry nose.  The range of flavors is spectacular and incredibly balanced with its coffee notes and powdered dark chocolate.  Light warming heat on the finish.  I actually wrote 'wow' in my tasting notes.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 4
 KavaFan Solist Port Cask

Background: The ABV of these single casks ranged from mid to high 50s.  Certainly, there must be some 60+ powerhouses out there, right?  Very few actually, and those are well in the past.  Taxation on alcohol 60% and higher jumps significantly in Taiwan, so they keep their releases under 60% now. (59.5 might get rounded up to 60, so the ceiling is 59.4)    

Stats: ABV = 58.6%.  Cask #O090706042A. Age 8+. 2009 Vintage.

Tasting Notes: The nose has similar dark berry and dark chocolate notes to the previous port offering, but they're bigger here.  Same with the palate.  Where this falls a bit, is the balance.  Even with water, the range does not expand, although the mouth feel is improved.  Port Bomb!

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

[Tasting conducted with the Sneaky Trips Tasting Group which consists of Whisk(e)y Enthusiasts ranging from Beginner to Advanced.  Tastings are held monthly and are usually 8 Expressions based on a particular theme.]