The Wine Reference🍷 SupportTaiwan: Taiwanese single malt
Kavalan, in Yilan County, opened in 2006 and quickly made Taiwan a respected whisky producer.
How it's made
The hot, humid climate speeds up maturation, so whiskies gain depth faster than in Scotland, with more spirit lost to evaporation.
Malted barley, mostly imported, is mashed, fermented and double distilled in copper pot stills, much as in Scotland. The state-owned TTL also makes single malt at its Nantou distillery under the Omar name.
History
Alcohol in Taiwan was a state monopoly until the market opened when Taiwan joined the WTO in 2002. The King Car group then built the Kavalan distillery in Yilan County, which started distilling in 2006 and released its first whisky in 2008.
Ageing and label terms
The hot, humid subtropical climate speeds up maturation and takes a large share of spirit each year, so most bottlings carry no age statement. Ex-bourbon, sherry, port and red wine casks are common, including wine barrels that have been shaved, toasted and re-charred.
Styles
Fruity, tropical single malts from bourbon casks, rich and dark sherry-cask whiskies, and powerful cask-strength single cask bottlings.
Rules and protected names
There is no protected Taiwanese whisky appellation, so labels follow familiar terms such as single malt and single cask.
How to serve and classic cocktails
Neat or with a few drops of water; lighter bottlings make a good highball with soda and a twist of lemon.
With food
Pineapple cake, braised pork belly, roast duck and dark chocolate.
Good to know
In 2010 a Kavalan whisky beat Scotch and English whiskies in a blind tasting in Scotland, and it went on to win many world titles.
Producers
- Kavalan
- Omar
Bottles to try
Kavalan Classic Single Malt
Mango, tropical fruit, vanilla and honeyed oak.
Strength: 40% · Age and cask: No age statement, mix of cask types
Made at Yuanshan in Yilan County, opened by the King Car group in 2006. Taiwan's heat and humidity speed up maturation, so the whisky reaches maturity in far fewer years than in Scotland.
Serve: Neat or with a drop of water
Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish
Rich and fruity: red berries, raisins, toffee, cocoa and a little spice.
Strength: 40% · Age and cask: No age statement; American oak, then finished in port casks
Kavalan's distillery in Yilan county, opened by the King Car group in 2005, ages whisky fast in Taiwan's subtropical heat. This malt spends its last months in casks that held ruby, tawny and vintage port.
Serve: Neat, or with a few drops of water
Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Cask
Very rich: dates, raisins, dark chocolate, coffee and spice.
Strength: Cask strength (varies, around 55–60%) · Age and cask: No age statement, single oloroso sherry cask
Each bottle in the Solist range comes from one cask, bottled undiluted and unfiltered. Taiwan's heat matures the whisky quickly, so it takes on deep sherry flavour in far less time than in Scotland.
Serve: Neat with a few drops of water
More whisky regions
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