NV Kavalan Peaty Cask, Fine+Rare Exclusive, 57.1%

Seven years ago I was invited to a whisky tasting featuring a Taiwanese distillery which was relatively unknown in the UK and it blew me away. I was unaware of the privilege at the time, but the Kavalan Master Blender, Dr Ian Chang, introduced me to a distillery which would win the International Wine & Spirit Competition's 'World's Best Single Malt' award just two years later.Fast forward a few years and I found myself in the beautiful Yilan province in the subtropical climate of Taiwan, home to Kavalan whisky distillery. The distillery and people were truly phenomenal making it little wonder the distillery welcomes more visitors annually than all Scottish distilleries combined. The level of world class expertise and distilling equipment at their disposal was as clear as the influence of the hot and humid climate on whisky maturation. Even with the rack house windows wide open the whisky here undergoes accelerated maturation and evaporation and the resulting whisky is complex and bursting with flavour. For existing Kavalan connoisseurs or those whisky fans on a journey of discovery I can't recommend this enough as a fine example of new world whisky. The appearance of this exclusive Kavalan Peaty Cask bottling is burnt orange in the glass and at cask strength the tropical fruit aromas leap out of the glass. With water - recommended for the palate - there are caramelised oranges, toasted pineapple and a sooty peat smoke finish from the Islay cask it was finished in. The most enticing nose of tropical fruit, wood smoke and sweet spice. The palate is rich and smooth with bold, intense tropical and orchard fruit flavours including guava, mangoes, pineapples and peach. A hint of smokiness gives way to a toasted almond finish. It opens up and mellows with a drop of water, releasing the fruitier notes, but equally is immensely enjoyable as it is bottled - at full strength. Although the exact details of where the barrel has been sourced from cannot be divulged, the source is one of the biggest names in Scotch whisky. Islay meets Yilan County is a perfect marriage between spirit and cask; one that we can’t wait for you to taste