What you need to know:

• Kavalan is launching a new Triple Sherry single malt bottling featuring a mix of whiskies matured in Oloroso, Pedro-Ximenez, and Moscatel Sherry barrels.
• The distillery describes the whisky as having “characteristics of cinnamon, smoked candied plums and citrus, berry, tropical fruit and longan scents, slightly honey, chocolate and toffee tickle the taste buds cheerfully, just like a supple flamenco dance."
• It will come with an all new packaging which visually expresses the profile of the whisky through intertwining patterns of white, gold and red, which were painted with acrylic, to symbolise the smooth taste of the three Sherry casks used.
• This will be a real balancing act for the Taiwanese distillery as it must avoid becoming overly-sherried, which can be sharp and too intense, whilst drawing out the mellow, honey sweetness from the PX and Moscatel barrels, and the dried fruits from the Oloroso barrels.
• Read below for tasting notes and release dates!
• Cop the Drop or Not Verdict: Cop

 (Image Source: Kavalan Distillery)

Taiwanese heavyweight Kavalan, most recently ranked 24^th on the World’s Most Admired Whiskies List by Drinks International, is unveiling the global launch of an all new Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask single malt whisky.

The three Sherry casks in question are Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez (PX) and Moscatel, which were each used to age Kavalan’s single malt whisky and subsequently combined to form the final bottling. This is said to have “weaved a velvety texture with the sweetness typical of Kavalan”.

"It's the first time for us to combine whiskey aged in three different sherry barrels. Dried fruits, mellow caramel and sweetness are complemented by the synergistic rich taste of sherry flavors. The whiskey has a unique personality, with characteristics such as maltose and tropical fruits.”

- Albert Lee (or Yu-Ting Lee), Founder of Kavalan Distillery 

An easy guide to the flavors from different types of Sherry. (Image Source: Whisky Muse)

The whiskies aged in the three types of Sherry casks was divided into three distinct profiles which were then blended to produce a well-balanced, smooth and perfectly fused whisky.

"During this process, flavors create nine different sherry dimensions through a diverse combination of three sherry barrel whiskeys. Derived from Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel barrels, with dried fruits in Oloroso barrels as the main personality. The sweetness of the whiskey will be apparent.”

- Zerose Yang, Senior Blender at Kavalan Distillery

(Image Source: Kavalan)

This new single malt will come with an all new packaging specifically designed for it; one which visually expresses the profile of the whisky through intertwining patterns of white, gold and red, which were painted with acrylic, to symbolise the smooth taste of the three Sherry casks used. It also denotes the trifecta of distillery new-make, whisky and Sherry. It doesn’t stop there, the bottle cap seal also features a silver line that represents the Central and Snow Mountains surrounding the distillery, from which it sources its water from.

The distillery describes the whisky as having “characteristics of cinnamon, smoked candied plums and citrus, berry, tropical fruit and longan scents, slightly honey, chocolate and toffee tickle the taste buds cheerfully, just like a supple flamenco dance.”

(Image Source: Kavalan) 

Our Take

This is Kavalan’s first properly new whisky in awhile, outside their core Solist, Concertmaster and the Distillery Select/Reserve series’, and it looks like Kavalan too is hopping on what looks to be the cask of the season: Sherry on Sherry on Sherry. (Read Springbank’s new all Sherry series)

(Image Source: Kavalan) 

While I’m a big fan of their wine and rum casks, I must concede that Kavalan’s flavors go harmoniously with Sherry, given their fruit forward, intense, spicy house style. That said, it isn’t often you see distilleries pile on multiple Sherry casks like a combo out of Tekken, and that’s for good reason.

Sherry has very big, strong flavors that can be very easily overdone and result in a whisky that is too overpowering – in which case all you’re gonna get is the cask flavors and none of the distillate itself. You could easily just wind up with a whisky that just tastes like… Sherry, which would be defeating as well.

   It's go big or go home with this one and Kavalan is going big on what feels like a great trapeze act. (Image Source: Vogue.fr)

But balance it well and perhaps Kavalan can truly unlock the caramel, honey-sweet flavors from the PX and Moscatel casks and pepper in the dried fruits from the Oloroso, which would be the ideal profile for an otherwise tropical fruit basket of a whisky. It’ll be a real balancing act indeed and if they succeed, it’ll demonstrate once again, Kavalan’s blending expertise and craftsmanship that they’re known for.

This one feels like watching a trapeze act and seeing Kavalan dare itself to pull off greater and greater daredevil stunts and holding your breath to find out if they stick the landing. Perhaps a more relatable analogy would be playing Jenga with your friends and seeing if they can pull the single center block from the bottom without toppling the whole tower. 

Perhaps Jenga would be more relatable. My heart is racing at the thought of drawing the center block of this precarious tower. (Image Source: Wikipedia)

In any case, this is going to be one you’ll wanna try. Scheduled for late November 2021 release!

Cop the Drop or Not Verdict: Cop

If you’re into Kavalan’s new Triple Sherry, you’ll probably like these too 

• The Distillery That Put Taiwan On The World Map – Kavalan Distillery
• Review: Kavalan Solist "Vinho Barrique", Cask Strength
• World’s Most Admired Whiskies - Drinks International

Kanpai!

@111hotpot