Tasting notes·Kavalan

Kavalan King Car 40th Anniversary Edition (2012/2020)

To celebrate their 40th birthday the King Car Group, the owner of the Kavalan Distillery, bottled as a Single Cask Limited Edition Whisky matured in exclusive red wine casks. The bottling has no age statement.The bottle comes in a 1.5 litre size and has a cap studded with Swarovski crystals, which is shaped like a crown to emphasise the exclusivity. The whole thing is packed in a high-quality wooden box. The presentation is actually quite impressive.

The panel

Marcel
89
Sascha
89

Mean 89.0 · spread 0

Value for money 0/5

Distillery
Kavalan
Type
Single Malt
Country
Taiwan
Strength
56.3% ABV
Character
rich

Tasting

Nose

The Single Malt Whisky from Taiwan opens extremely powerful and intense. Strawberries, blueberries and cinnamon are the dominant aromas. Dark grapes, blood orange and notes of marzipan follow. In the background, there is a lasting peppery note. We also perceive other spices, but are unable to classify them exactly.

Palate

Very fruity-sweet, similar to good toffee fudges, the taste spreads very voluminously in the mouth. Oily and at the same time dry, we taste delicately bitter oak, orange zest and clearly perceive the wine character of the Whisky. Here, as well, the composition is accompanied by hints of a peppery note in the background and rounds off the flavour profile.

Finish

The Taiwanese Single Malt finishes long and sweet into a very pleasant bitter oak note.

Verdicts

Marcel

A whisky that truly delights with its intense fruitiness and elegant spice – almost a celebration in a glass. The lavish presentation perfectly matches the character, even if it lacks the final polish to elevate it to absolute world-class status. For connoisseurs seeking a powerful yet charming tasting experience, this comes highly recommended.

Sascha

This limited Kavalan edition impresses with a balanced interplay between intense fruit and complex spice notes, while the maturation in red wine casks adds structure to the whisky. Despite the opulent presentation, it falls just short on depth and precision to warrant a top rating. Overall, a technically solid and harmoniously composed spirit with potential.

What it is worth

No auction record for this distillery, so we cannot tell you what this bottle is worth. We would rather say that than guess.

Source

Tasting note and scores by WHISKY:EDITION — tasted by Marcel and Sascha, published 2022-08-20.