Kavalan Single Malt is the base offering from the scorchingly hot Kavalan distillery. A distillery that seems to be getting talked about on a near weekly basis over the last year and a half – and for good reason; they’re awesome. They put out great whisky and they deserve the recognition they’re getting. They take a traditional approach and leverage their natural resource of climate to put out a product that tastes amazing as a young NAS product.
In Kavalan’s Words: Kavalan Single Malt
“Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky exemplifies the sheer quality of whisky that is diverse and complex. Fresh and clean, the spirit is rich with silky smoothness and hints of tropical fruits, mango in particular.”
Thanks to the the SCWC I was able to try almost everything Kavalan had back in 2013. The club had amassed nearly every expression Kavalan put out at the time via club members traveling and we did a huge vertical in one meeting.
This meeting took place several months before Anchor announced the import agreement and the whisky began arriving on our shores. A pretty awesome look into what was to come. Anyways, let’s dig into this Kavalan Single Malt review and see how things are shaping up now.
Kavalan Single Malt Info
Region: Taiwan
Distiller: Kavalan
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: No listed / can’t find
Age: NAS
ABV: 40%
Price: $65
Kavalan Single Malt Review
EYE
Amber
NOSE
Fruit, caramel, malt, vanilla, butterscotch and a bit of spice and hay. Nothing too exciting or stand-out worthy, but not bad either.
PALATE
Caramel, malt, citrus, vanilla, butterscotch, hay and some spice and orange marmalade. Fairly standard offering, nothing interesting, but again not bad either.
FINISH
Medium drop of malt, fruit, butterscotch, copper and smoky char.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Decent balance, medium body and a slick smooth feel.
OVERALL
The most interesting thing about the Kavalan Single Malt is the finish. There’s a bit of smoky char that pops up at the end that isn’t present in any of the other segments of the whisky that makes me stop and ponder what’s happening. That interesting little pop at the end is what moved it up to the higher end of the B scale when doing the review.
The fruity essence is nice, but it’s not too distinguishable from other mid-range Speyside whiskies and doesn’t really present anything overtly unique or interesting. Still, the Kavalan Single Malt is perfectly drinkable from beginning to end and while I’d never buy a bottle at its current price I’d also never decline a glass if someone else was pouring.
SCORE: 85/100 (B)
