Spirits · Yuanshan, Yilan County
Kavalan
Taiwan's single malt pioneer, aged in subtropical heat near Snow Mountain.
- Founded
- 2005
- Founded by
- Lee Tien-Tsai (King Car Group)
- Based in
- Yuanshan, Yilan County
Making it since
2005
Their story
Kavalan sits in Yuanshan, in Yilan County on Taiwan's northeast coast. It was founded in 2005 by Lee Tien-Tsai's King Car Group, a Taiwanese food and drink company, and takes its name from the region's early inhabitants.
The first spirit ran from the stills in March 2006, and the first whisky, Kavalan Classic, was bottled in late 2008. In 2010 it beat several Scotch whiskies in a blind tasting in Scotland, and in 2015 its Solist Vinho Barrique was named World's Best Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards.
How it's made
Kavalan uses Scottish-style pot stills and water from the headwaters of Snow Mountain, with malted barley brought in from outside. Its warehouses have no climate control, so the warm, humid weather speeds up aging and draws tropical fruit notes from casks that include ex-bourbon, sherry, port and wine.
Why we carry them
We think Kavalan shows how much climate shapes whisky. A pour of the Solist line is a good way to taste what Taiwan's heat does to a cask.
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