Kavalan

Since its first release in 2008, Kavalan has been the distillery that put Taiwanese whiskey on the world map and continues to amaze connoisseurs worldwide. Taiwanese whiskey is known for its aroma and taste of tropical fruits and has won many prestigious awards in a very short time.

The Kavalan Distillery has been a pioneer in the art of single malt whisky in Yilan County, Taiwan since 2005. Kavalan is made from the mineral-rich waters of Snow Mountain and aged in a unique combination of intense heat and humidity combined with sea and mountain breezes. All this combines to create the quality, smoothness and fruity character for which Kavalan is famous.

Kavalan takes the old name of Yilan County. It was here that entrepreneur Mr. Tien-Tsai Lee dreamed of a new whisky homeland and a "century-old" distillery for generations to come.

Mr. Lee's ambition to create Taiwan's first whisky took him to the distilleries of Scotland and Japan. He knew that, to compete with the old world, Taiwan's whiskies had to be world-class. Kavalan assembled a highly skilled R&D team to take on the legacy of renowned whisky specialist Dr. Jim Swan.

Processing and fermentation

Our water is sourced from the springs of Snow Mountain and Central Mountain, which are very clear and pure. This is one of the reasons Kavalan Whisky tastes so good. During germination, barley releases the enzyme diastase, which makes the starch in the barley soluble, thus preparing it to be converted into sugar. During this period, the barley must be turned at regular intervals to control the temperature and rate of germination. The malt is crushed in a mill. The principle is the same as with coffee: you must first grind the coffee beans before brewing them.

Distillation and aging

The double distillation method is applied by the Kavalan distillery. The first distillation is done to separate the alcohol and water. The best part of the whiskey's heart is collected and filled into barrels for aging. The choice of barrels is crucial for the whiskey's taste. Each of the brand's two aging warehouses is 5 stories high. Since Taiwan has a hot climate, spirits extract aroma from the oak more quickly. Even at a young age, Kavalan whiskey is more mature than others of a similar age.

Blending and bottling

Blending is the mingling of whiskies from different casks. When the master blender at Kavalan deems a whisky ready, it's blended to create a consistent-tasting whisky. Once the whisky reaches the desired maturity, selected casks are emptied, and Kavalan water is added to create the exact ABV for specific expressions. Finally, the fully crafted single malt is bottled.