Full Review

Kavalan

Kavalan
Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky

Category: Taiwanese Whisky

Date Tasted:
Country: Taiwan
Alcohol: 56.3%
96 Points
Platinum Medal
Superlative
$599

Kavalan
Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky

Category: Taiwanese Whisky

Date Tasted:
Country: Taiwan
Alcohol: 56.3%
Golden amber color. Aromas and flavors of spiced Marcona almonds, Amontillado, chestnuts, sea salt, and Jamon, and spiced raisins with a round, vibrant, dry medium-to-full body and a peppery, thought-provoking, very long finish with notes of spiced walnuts and pecan, jamon, sea salt and pepper on almonds, and spiced cashews. This just smells like a cask of Amontillado distilled down; perhaps polarizing but so tasty and makes one crave some Jamon Iberico and almonds.

Tasting Info

Spirits Glass Style: Rich & Full
Aroma Aroma: spiced Marcona almonds, Amontillado, chestnuts, sea salt, and Jamon, and spiced raisins
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with notes of spiced walnuts and pecan, jamon, sea salt and pepper on almonds, and spiced cashews
Smoothness Smoothness: Peppery
Finish Finish: Very Long
Enjoy Enjoy: with drops of water, with cigars and on the rocks
Bottom Line Bottom Line: This just smells like a cask of Amontillado distilled down; perhaps polarizing but so tasty and makes one crave some Jamon Iberico and almonds.

The Producer

Kavalan Distillery

The Producer
326, Section 2, Yuan-shan Road
Yuan-Shan, Yilan 26444
Taiwan
886 -39229000

Their Portfolio

88 Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $92.99.
93 Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.99.
93 Kavalan Concertmaster Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.99.
90 Kavalan Distillery Select No.1 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.99.
95 Kavalan Distillery Select No. 2 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.99.
93 Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $119.99.
94 Kavalan Podium Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $128.99.
97 Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $159.99.
90 Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 59.4% (Taiwan) $224.99.
95 Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $469.99.
96 Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 55.6% (Taiwan) $257.99.
96 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Peated Malt Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 54% (Taiwan) $89.99.
95 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Rum Cask Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 55.6% (Taiwan) $89.99.
89 Kavalan Solist Madeira Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $299.99.
92 Kavalan Solist Brandy Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.8% (Taiwan) $299.99.
89 Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 56.3% (Taiwan) $299.99.
95 Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 55.6% (Taiwan) $599.99.
95 Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 58.6% (Taiwan) $599.99.
92 Kavalan Solist PX Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $699.99.
96 Kavalan Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $599.99.
91 Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $92.00.
90 Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
93 Kavalan Concertmaster Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
92 Kavalan Concertmaster Vinho Barrique Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
91 Kavalan Distillery Select No.1 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.00.
93 Kavalan Distillery Select No. 2 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.00.
93 Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $119.00.
92 Kavalan Podium Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $102.00.
94 Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 54.8% (Taiwan) $195.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 53.2% (Taiwan) $214.00.
93 Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $469.00.
92 Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 54.8% (Taiwan) $214.00.
92 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Peated Malt Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 51.6% (Taiwan) $89.00.
94 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Madeira Cask Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.8% (Taiwan) $89.00.
96 Kavalan Solist Brandy Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $214.00.
93 Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $214.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $599.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.8% (Taiwan) $599.00.
94 Kavalan Solist PX Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 55.6% (Taiwan) $699.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 53.2% (Taiwan) $599.00.
92 Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $92.00.
90 Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
92 Kavalan Concertmaster Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
91 Kavalan Concertmaster Vinho Barrique Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
90 Kavalan Distillery Select No.1 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.00.
94 Kavalan Distillery Select No.2 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.00.
93 Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky 43% (Taiwan) $99.00.
90 Kavalan Wine Oak Single Malt Whisky 43% (Taiwan) $102.00.
90 Kavalan Port Oak Single Malt Whisky 43% (Taiwan) $102.00.
92 Kavalan Podium Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $102.00.
91 Kavalan Master’s Select Reserve No.1 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $112.00.
90 Kavalan Master’s Select Reserve No.2 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $112.00.
93 Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 54% (Taiwan) $195.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $214.00.
97 Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.8% (Taiwan) $469.00.
94 Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 58.6% (Taiwan) $214.00.
93 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Peated Malt Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 50.8% (Taiwan) $89.00.
95 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Madeira Cask Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 58.6% (Taiwan) $89.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Brandy Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $214.00.
93 Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 59.4% (Taiwan) $214.00.
96 Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 56.3% (Taiwan) $599.00.
96 Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.8% (Taiwan) $599.00.
95 Kavalan Solist PX Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 55.6% (Taiwan) $699.00.
94 Kavalan Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 53.2% (Taiwan) $599.00.
88 King Car Conductor Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $128.99.
95 King Car Conductor Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $102.00.
92 King Car Conductor Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $102.00.

Taiwanese Whisky

Spirits Glass Glencairn Canadian Amber.jpg
Serve in a Glencairn Ganadian Whisky Glass
Remarkably constructed in only 9 months in 2015, the Kavalan distillery is Taiwan's first whisky distillery. Despite their relative youth, the malt whiskies made at Kavalan are amazingly flavorful, complex, world-class spirits—modeled after Scottish single malts—that are a product of ingenuity, Scottish tradition and ingredients, and the unique tropical Taiwanese climate that accelerates the aging process.