Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon Cask
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
0 493
Review by @Rantavahti
- Nose23
- Taste24
- Finish23
- Balance23
- Overall93
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I sampled this price winning Taiwanese single malt with a bottle marked March 2013. Solist Ex-Bourbon Cask is only 3 years old. matured shortly because of the local climate and oak.
This has Wo hu cang long written all over it. Like a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, this whisky is kicking it hard, with some complexity though. Young age doesn't show that much, Kavalan has character in aromas and taste.
Nose: The first whiff, without water, gives a strong and nice aroma of pine. Water and some time in the glass: vanilla and bananas take over. Toasted vanilla at first, then sugary. Some creamy coconut is present. Fruity and tropical, feels great.
Taste: Amazing, peppery and salty licorice starts the show. Quite quickly, turns to sugary and tropical. Very sprinkly, like a good gin and tonic. Berries in carbonated form and vanilla butter and toast. And no, not buttery thick, the vanilla butter is a diet version.
Finish: Long, oaky and peppery hot. When the hotness fades away, bananas with tropical fruits in a doughy form make the aftertaste.
Balance: Great dram! Weird to score a whisky so young so high.
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@Rantavahti, thanks for your very nice review.
Kavalan is a solid brand, but, like all brands has some off batches and the occasional dud bottle. Where I live Kavalan is also on the expensive side, as well.
As for hot climate rapid whisky maturation, if I had my way, whisky would be made in every hot climate country on earth. That would be the easiest way to produce large amounts of top quality whisky in just a very few years. None of this waiting around for 20 years stuff. Culture does seem to be a big factor, though. Even though Mexico, for example, could easily make whisky, it doesn't seem to have any current impetus to do so, for, I expect, mostly cultural reasons.