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Kavalan 15 Year Old Review

Can tropical fruit outshine intense oak? This Kavalan 15-year review reveals a bold, balanced Taiwanese malt shaped by heat and wood.

OVERALL RATING

8
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Tasting Notes

About:

Kavalan 15-year-old single malt has been aged in a mix of bourbon, sherry, port, and puncheon casks.
Appearance:
Dark Orange
Nose:
Nail polish remover, pencil shavings, truffle oil, peach juice, freshly sawn oak, orange oil and something industrial.
Palate:
Syrupy sweet fruits from tins: peach, mango and pineapple. More pencil shavings, hot caramel sauce, mint, passionfruit, dark chocolate, lots of very upfront woody notes, sharp oak notes.
Finish:
Long, drying, woody and has hints of sweetness from the different cask influences. Overall, you’ve got different flavours of fresh fruit that all feel like they’ve been infused with wood. Red apple, grapes, poached pears and more passionfruit that’s been blended with white chocolate and oak chips.
Comments:
It’s a surprisingly well balanced product given the amount of oak influence the Taiwanese heat has infused into those selected whiskies.

However, it does lean bitter in the finish, and a bitterness that can only be associated with oak. There is more to it than that, some great underlying fruit and sweet dessert notes, but overall if oak isn’t your thing then this whisky is definitely not for you. It’s on par with some of the oldest whiskies I’ve ever tried in terms of oak influence, but given the geographical and weather influences that are put upon Kavalan, it’s still really well put together.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Phil Dwyer

Phil Dwyer is a freelance whisky writer and consultant. With a decade of experience in whisky retail and nearly as long running Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, Phil is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with fellow whisky lovers. His goal is to make whisky accessible and enjoyable, dispelling the jargon and complexity that can sometimes surround the spirit. In addition to his online presence, Phil managed The Whisky Shop Manchester, where he curated an impressive selection of some of the finest drams available.

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