Thanks to /u/Throzen for sharing this dram.
Hey, haven’t quite gotten to my Macallan reviews yet… I wonder what could fill in, just in the meantime…
Oh wait, Kavalan Port Solist KavaFAN pick will do quite nicely. Odd how those fit together, right?
I joke, I joke. Kavalan uses different casks sometimes and only costs mostly as much (with some extreme cost differences in the upper ends). Those wacky gals and guys at KavaFAN have picked another whisky, and it’s shown up at a tasting.
This time we have a Port cask, I’m guessing 7 years however no pour date so don’t take that as gospel (actually don’t take anything I say as gospel please, that’s how problems happen). Picked by the fanbase, limited run, cask strength, and in one of my favourite casks to explore.
How’d it turn out? Let’s see, shall we?
Price: £195
Region: Taiwan
Vintage: 18.11.2011
Cask type: Port
Cask number: O111118084A
Number of bottles: 212
Abv: 58.6%
Colour: 10R 2/8
Nose: Molasses, Xmas spice, caramel, coffee
Big nose of molasses and Xmas right upfront. Cask influence for miles. Kilometres even! Rich, though never really gets off the cask influence here.
We’re not talking too much port; water brings it back but it’s like driving a tour bus in Argentina here, right on the edge.
Taste: Raisin, cinnamon, orange, nutmeg, coffee
Rich caramel, and then heat. Hot, hot, ouchie, hot. Water takes a bit of the bite out, like a dog losing one canine tooth has less of a bite. Not much kid, come on, keep up.
Again, nice roasted notes, it’s not as dominated as some Kavalan I’ve had, but wow is this hot stuff. Check it and see, I guess?
Finish: Licorice, strawberry, cardamon, brine
Spice, heat, bring, heat, hot, water helps just calm it down and then done. Say goodnight Gracie, this is okay but too young.
Conclusion: Too much heat. Tastes youthful even though, given the fast maturation, it isn’t. I kept trying to enjoy aspects of it and playing on that line of a “port bomb” and it didn’t really materialize for me.
The nose is nice. The whole thing is hot and water eventually just dulls it. I’m not going to be harsh, there are aspects that are nice, however, given the price and everything with this, I think I’d go for a different port cask with some more complexity.
77/100
World Whisky review #397, Taiwan review #13, Whisky Network review #1990
tomoderawhisky.ca 