Kavalan Distillery Select No.1
In 2008, just under 15 years ago, the first bottlings of the Taiwanese distillery appeared and only four years later conquered the world market within a very short time. Rightly so?The Whiskys of the Kavalan distillery mature in a subtropical climate. Unlike European or Scottish Whiskys, an intense flavor can be achieved even in much shorter storage time. In principle, Kavalan Whiskys are delivered without age indication. Presumably, this is usually a maximum of 5 years, rather less.
The panel
Mean 69.0 · spread 0
Value for money 3/5
- Distillery
- Kavalan
- Type
- Single Malt
- Country
- Taiwan
- Strength
- 40% ABV
- Character
- mellow
Tasting
Nose
We smell a fresh, soft and fruity Whisky. Aromas of sweet honey, apple, vanilla and cherry are clearly dominant. Ripe and soft mango is also present and we'd have to lie if we didn't say the stuff clearly reminds us of oatmeal pops. Overall pleasant and not intrusive.
Palate
What the smell promises, the taste keeps. Notes of caramel and honey are accompanied by a slight bitterness at the edge. The fruitiness of the nose is not as intense again here. Sweet spices and grains can be tasted in the background and perhaps a very marginal note of cinnamon. Ripe banana rounds out the picture.
Finish
The finish is medium long. A little dry on the palate, also bitter in the marginal notes. Instead of caramel, we have more brown sugar and a slightly alcoholic undertone.
Verdicts
Marcel
Kavalan Distillery Select No.1 delivers a whole lot of sweet fruit on the palate, almost like a drinkable oat pop – charming, but a bit too scattered for my taste. For fans of young, exotic Taiwanese whiskies, it’s definitely worth a try if you want to experience something different.
Sascha
The structure of the Kavalan Distillery Select No.1 still feels unbalanced, with a dominant sweetness and little harmony between fruit and bitterness. Despite the interesting variety of aromas, it lacks depth and clear balance, which somewhat limits the enjoyment.
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.