Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique 700ml

Winner of the 2015 World Whisky Awards – Whisky of The Year

In ancient times, the land around I-Lan in Taiwan was called Kavalan, a mysterious land that was solely inhabited by the indigenous people of the Kavalan clan. The name was officially recognized by the Emperor of the Chin dynasty in the year of 1809 when the original city was also built under the same name.

Kavalan had always been kept primitive and protected from the outside world by the Syue-shan mountain range which is abundant in high quality natural water that comes from deep within the mountain range. The mists of Kavalan and the spirits of the past have been created for you in this exquisite whisky.

Vinho is fully matured in used American oak wine barrels that have been toasted and re-charred in a way that brings out fruity vanilla notes from the whisky and wood overlaid on a delicate background of complex fruitiness.

The oak casks are made from American oak that has been seasoned in the open air for at least 24 months. The oak is slow grown that results in a greater release of flavours into the whisky. This reduces the astringent effect of tannins and releases more vanilla spiciness and hints of herbs such as dill and lemon grass. The result is softness and added complexity.

The casks have (deliberately) been used to mature both red and white wines which eventually will contribute the background complex fruitiness to Kavalan Solist Vinho.

After their use for wine maturation the casks are carefully shaved inside then gently toasted over an oak chip fire for a strictly controlled period of time and temperature. This converts wine residues into a complex mixture of fruit flavours including lime, berry fruits and peaches. Then the casks are charred for a short period of time to release lashings of flavours such as vanilla, ice cream and caramelised sugars.

The result is a more complex whisky than is possible than with whisky casks alone!

Please note Solist bottlings may vary slightly in ABV and appearance from batch to batch. While every effort is made to ensure the information on this portal is up to date there may be discrepancies from time to time. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about a specific batch.

Official Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep autumn gold.

Nose: A rich fusion of vanilla and caramelised sugars with dark chocolate on top. Ripe melon and mango together with kiwi and a delicate blend of citrus fruits burst. Pepper is also present in the background waiting to be noticed. This bouquet is simply a sensational feast to your olfactory organ…

Palate: Caramel, marzipan, coffee-vanilla, fudge, rich, creamy, dried black fruits. Integrated and surprisingly light. Element of sandalwood. Starts creamy, waters out, almost disappears before rubbing hot brown sugar into the oesophagus. Tiny bitter trace.