Source: whiskeyitaly.it
2015 was a surprise for all whiskey lovers, revealing a new (or almost) product that literally stunned both the jury and the competition (Scotland, Japan and Ireland).
The commission of the "World Whiskeys Awards" awarded a whiskey from Taiwan as the best "single malt" this year.
It is called "Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique" (Kavalan is the name of a tribe that colonized the area where the distillery stands). It is a product aged in American oak barrels previously used for wine aging. It is provided by "King Car", a very young Yilan distillery, founded in 2005.
The company uses the water of a mountain spring and uses the tropical climate that allows whiskey to ripen very quickly. The organoleptic property of the whiskey that won the jury is softness; the alcohol content is 58.6% and has a deep amber color. The aroma is caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate, fruit and slightly peppery. The taste is quite structured, sweet, with hints of licorice and butter; the finish is long, dry and vinous.
To tell the truth, despite his young age, the Kavalan is not new to certain awards; prominent, that of the "New Whiskey of the Year 2012", of the "Whiskey Bible" (Jim Murray).
A 700ml pack is priced at around € 115.
