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Kavalan Distillery Select No. 1 Review

Kavalan Distillery Select No. 1 is designed as an approachable introduction to Taiwanese whisky. We nose and taste this single malt to find out where it shines - and where it falls short.

OVERALL RATING

7
$50
  • Genevieve is a South African whisky enthusiast with a PhD in Philosophy and founder of Kenton on Whisky, a coastal tasting venture.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Kavalan is a Taiwanese distillery and the country’s first privately owned whisky producer. When Kavalan’s owners set out to build a distillery, they turned to the late whisky guru Dr. Jim Swan for guidance. Swan, who passed away in 2017, played an integral role in a number of distillery start-ups around the world (including Kilchoman, Penderyn, The Cotswolds, and Amrut), helping these distilleries establish reputations for high-quality whisky in a relatively short time.

Kavalan itself has been producing award-winning whisky for a number of years. In 2015, the distillery attracted global attention when Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique was named World’s Best Single Malt Whisky at the World Whisky Awards, a result that firmly established Taiwan as a serious whisky-producing nation.

Kavalan Distillery Select No. 1 is a single malt bottled at 40% ABV, and it is generally regarded as one of the distillery’s entry-level expressions (alongside the Distillery Select No. 2, which is meant to highlight a more floral and herbal style). The distillery does not specify a particular cask type for this release, but apparently it’s been matured in refill casks selected to highlight Kavalan’s fruity house style.

A version of this whisky, first named Distillery Select, was first released in 2018. When the distillery later expanded the range to include two expressions, this bottling was renamed Distillery Select No. 1. Importantly, the original recipe for the whisky was not changed, it was simply repackaged and numbered, although I believe they also dropped the ABV to 40% from 43% for the newer release.

Like many Kavalan releases, their Distillery Select No. 1 carries no age statement, yet in Taiwan whisky must be aged for a minimum of two years. However, age can mean something quite different in Taiwan than it does in more traditional whisky-producing regions like Scotland or Ireland. Taiwan’s hot and humid climate can accelerate the interaction between spirit and cask, allowing whisky to extract flavour from the wood more rapidly than it would in cooler climates.
Appearance:
Tawny
Nose:
Pears and ripe bananas. There’s a slightly tart note that suggests dried apricots. Some cherry-flavoured tobacco. The nose softens somewhat into crème brûlée, layered with sweet baking spices – perhaps cinnamon – and a touch of molasses. A faintly earthy note lingers quietly in the background.
Palate:
Sweet upfront. There’s a fleeting suggestion of ripe strawberries appears at first, although it fades quickly and is difficult to pin down. There may even be a touch of menthol in the mix. Honey and vanilla follow, with perhaps another hint of banana. The mouthfeel is fairly light and a little thin.
Finish:
Long, drying and gently oaky, with a touch of lingering sweetness.
Comments:
I found Kavalan Distillery Select to be more expressive on the nose than on the palate. The aromas present a rich and interesting mix of fruit, sweetness, and gentle spice, but these elements don’t quite carry through with the same intensity once tasted.

That said, as an entry-level expression this whisky feels designed to be an approachable and easy-going pour. While the palate may lack some of the depth hinted at on the nose, the overall experience remains enjoyable, with enough character and complexity to keep things interesting.

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.

Genevieve Jacot-Guillarmod

Genevieve is a whisky enthusiast from South Africa with a PhD in Philosophy, so she enjoys both drinking and thinking about whisky. She loves tasting new whiskies whenever she gets the chance - so much so that a few years ago she set up a small whisky tasting business, "Kenton on Whisky", in the tiny coastal town where she lives (this also serves as an excellent excuse to grow her selection of whiskies beyond reasonable limits).

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