Tasting notes on Kavalan whiskies, from Taiwan. Done at a meetup at the North Shore Whisky Club, May 2019. This a #Drams4Fams fundraiser for the Greater Boston Food Bank. About this event, they write:
Our 2nd annual fundraiser was a complete success because of our very generous host Laura Kanzler of Hotaling & Company and the wonderful people who attended that night and opened up their hearts (& wallets) to help those in need. The Greater Boston Food Bank is our charity of choice because they are local to us and they do a great job channeling the money to those that need it.
All of these whisk(e)ys are NAS (non-age stated) for two reasons. (a) The climate in Taiwan allows the whisky to age faster, so it might be misleading to make a year-to-year comparison with Scotch whiskies, and (b) whisky from Taiwan can’t be aged for very long times, as the loss due to the Angel’s Share is huge. In Scotland the evaporation from the barrel’s may only be 3 to 6 percent per year, but in the Kavalan rickhouses it has been 15% per year. As such, none of these are older than six years.
These whiskies have been aged in a non-temperature controlled warehouse. 107oF at the top, down to 80oF at the bottom, in a six story warehouse.
They are all also NCF (non-chill filtered), and this is something that most whisky aficionados prefer. Chill filtering is mainly done for cosmetic effect, and does not have a large impact on the flavor of the product, but it may filter out some of the flavorful molecules.
Made at the Kavalan Distillery, owned by the King Car Group, Taiwan
Kavalan Distillery Select – Has a classic single malt profile, very gentle nose. This was aged in spent/neutral barrels. Has the terroir of a Taiwanese single malt. This was made at the first distillery in Taiwan. We’re effectively tasting the terroir of the distilled grain, rather than the influence of the barrel.
Kavalan Concert Master (Port cask finish) – This tastes similar to the above whisky, but it is darker, warmed. Unlike many American port finished barrels, which I feel sometimes are overdone, the port influence here is more subtle. Aged 3 years in American oak, and then 1 year in ex-port barrels. 4 years old.
Kavalan King Car Conductor – Very gentle nose, almost none. This tasted a bit harsher, had a tart bite. A faint honey note. I just didn’t enjoy this one. They source barley from the EU. Aged in sherry and ex-bourbon barrels.
Kavalan ex-bourbon – Aged in ex-bourbon barrels. I enjoy this one a bit more. There is a hint of mango and bourbon in this one. Sweet. Around five years old.
Kavalan Sherry Oak – Aged only in ex-Olorosso sherry barrels. Quite different from the port-aged whiskys. I see that there are lots of Olorosso fans here (my preference so far is for those aged in ex-port barrels.) Notes of raisin, and some say it has a Christmas pudding flavor.
A view of the proceedings.
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