Kavalan Distillery Select

A soft-spoken, pure Single Malt spirit from an exceptional Taiwanese maker.

If you have not heard of Kavalan yet, get ready for us to blow your Whisky-loving mind. That’s because Kavalan Distillery is located on the island of… Taiwan. And this relative newcomer to the pantheon of Single Malt deities is kicking serious Single Malt butt — winning awards and beating some of the most famous Whiskies in blind taste tests. Even Jim Murray himself has become a fan. Kavalan was founded in 2005 by Mr. Tien-Tsai Lee and is now owned by Taiwan’s King Car Group. They have developed a range of eighteen Single Malt offerings.

Kavalan Distillery Select is a new offering from Kavalan — launched in November of 2018. The motivation was to create an approachable, softer spirit that would stand up when sipped neat while also being ideal for craft cocktails — all at an exceptional price point. They were successful on all accounts. The softness comes from using refill casks, so the character of their signature style is fully maintained with gentle notes of vanilla with floral aromas while allowing the natural fruitiness of the core spirit shine out at 43% ABV.

Smartass corner:
“Kavalan” is the name of an ancient indigenous people that inhabited the Yilan province of Taiwan — speaking to the native character of the Whiskies.