Kavalan Solist Trio - once more with feeling
Back in 2016 I reviewed a trio of single cask releases from Kavalan, Taiwan. That was fun, so I thought I'd do the same again. Different cask types this time around though:
Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask
Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Cask
Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Cask
Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask, 7 YO, 57.8 %
Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask
Distilled 2009-07-14 and bottled 2017-05-03, which makes it close to 8 years old. The oldest Kavalan I have tasted. It has been matured in a port wine cask (cask# O090714049A; O = Oporto), which yielded 175 bottles.
The sales price is a quite reasonable NOK 1601 (10556401).
Nose: Rich and deep sweetness. Sugary with heaps of red berries. Hints of tobacco
Taste: Medium to full-bodied. Fruity and rich. Hints of musty cellar.
Finish: Medium long finish. I wanted it to be longer, but you cannot have it all, I guess. Still rich, sweet and with tons of red berries.
Comments: Wow! I love it!
Score (90/100)
Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Cask, 5 YO, 56.3 %
Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Cask
This Kavalan was distilled 2011-03-14, matured in an Amontillado sherry cask (cask# AM110314030A; AM = Amotillado), and bottled 2016-06-06. The total outturn was 550 bottles.
A bit pricey at NOK 3000 (10557001).
Nose: Sugary. Dried fruits, caramel and earthy notes.
Taste: Medium body. Again quite sugary and earthy in character. Ripe, red apples perchance.
Finish: Medium to long finish. Not a whole lot in terms of further development, but it is all A-OK.
Comments: I like it.
Score (87/100)
Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Cask, 5 YO, 57.8 %
Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Cask
This whisky was distilled 2011-02-23, matured in a Manzanilla sherry cask (cask# MA110223010A; MA = Manzanilla), and bottled 2016-12-23. The total outturn was 561 bottles.
Again a bit pricey at NOK 3000 (10557101).
Nose: Mild notes of red berries; strawberries mainly. Icing sugar and mild orchard fruits.
Taste: Medium to full body. Peppery and quite dry in character. Still a lot of berries, but definitely no strawberries now, more like rowanberries and blackcurrant. Not especially sweet though.
Finish: Medium long finish. Lands a bit too fast, dries up and mellows out, no further development.
Comments: Well, what do you know, I like this one as well.
Score (87/100)
Sláinte! - Thomas
