Full Review

Kavalan

Kavalan
Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky

Category: Taiwanese Whisky

Date Tasted:
Country: Taiwan
Alcohol: 57.1%
96 Points
Platinum Medal
Superlative
$599.99

Kavalan
Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky

Category: Taiwanese Whisky

Date Tasted:
Country: Taiwan
Alcohol: 57.1%
Mahogany color. Aromas and flavors of clove, nutmeg, and mace in mocha ice cream, sweet pipe tobacco, stewed red fruits, and dutch apple pancake with coffee in the batter with a thick, bright, dry fat body and a warming, very complex, long finish with accents of cherry wood smoked brisket, padron maduro 1945 anniversario, bananas foster with loads of nutmeg and clove, and burned vanilla bean. A Whisky rich in rounded mocha notes and hints of savory meats laden with loads of ripe fruit that would pair excellently with a cigar.

Tasting Info

Spirits Glass Style: Spicy & Complex
Aroma Aroma: clove, nutmeg, and mace in mocha ice cream, sweet pipe tobacco, stewed red fruits, and dutch apple pancake with coffee in the batter
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with accents of cherry wood smoked brisket, padron maduro 1945 anniversario, bananas foster with loads of nutmeg and clove, and burned vanilla bean
Smoothness Smoothness: Warming
Enjoy Enjoy: in cocktails, neat, on the rocks and with cigars
Cocktail Cocktails: Whiskey Sour, Whiskey Smash
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A Whisky rich in rounded mocha notes and hints of savory meats laden with loads of ripe fruit that would pair excellently with a cigar.

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.