Kavalan Solist Amontillado Single Cask Strength

For context, this sample is from single cask AM100623018A, bottled at 55.6%. The aroma is robust and dense with a syrupy richness, beginning with dark chocolate, tart blueberries, and antique polished furniture, followed by toasted walnuts and freshly lit pipe tobacco, then musty grapes, caramelized peaches, and orange blossom, transitioning to anise, cardamom, saffron, and vintage leather, with a strong ethanol presence. The taste offers a rich and syrupy mouthfeel, starting with creamy tropical fruits, then a moderate sour spice that gradually yields to fresh lit tobacco and toasted walnuts, followed by dark chocolate-covered tart blueberries and antique polished furniture, then prunes, caramelized peaches, and charred orange peel, transitioning to anise, cardamom, saffron, and mildly bitter black tea, with a strong ethanol presence. The finish is long, featuring creamy tropical fruits, dark chocolate-covered raisins, toasted walnuts, anise, cardamom, saffron, dusty leather-bound books, and polished antique furniture. It's remarkable how Kavalan achieves such rich and intense flavors. The nose draws you in with dark chocolate, tart fruits, and old oak, preceding toasted nuts and a light earthy smoke that fades into tart yet sweet fruits and unique spices. These carry over to the palate, accompanied by creamy tropical fruits with a moderate bitterness that eventually subsides to the tart and sweet fruits from the nose, before a long finish revealing a mix of sweet and tart fruits, chocolate, unique spices, and old oak that lingers and unfolds gradually over several minutes after each sip. This is another outstanding release from Kavalan; the flavors are all amplified, but for me, it doesn't quite reach the level of the Moscatel due to a more pronounced spice and a moderate tartness in the fruits, which I don't recall from the Moscatel. Kavalan's Solist line is pricey, but if you can find a pour or bottle at a reasonable cost, I strongly recommend trying them, as there are few other spirits that can match the syrupy, dense flavors these single barrels produce.

This whisky originates from an elaborate 950mL decanter bottle acquired from the distillery in September 2019. Amontillado Cask AM110216002B Nose: Faint notes of sweet soy, dark chocolate, leather, damp sherry cask, and damp oak (with water, the nose is significantly muted and less pronounced, but fundamentally the same). Taste: Quite potent, with dark chocolate, prunes, dark raisins, sweet soy sauce, and hoisin sauce (with water, there's more dark chocolate, raisins, prunes, and hoisin sauce). Finish: A lingering potency, with hoisin sauce, raisins, prunes, chocolate, and leather (with water, there's less potency, and notes of hoisin sauce, ginger, and cocoa powder). Score: 83/100 Overall Impressions: It's been a while since I've tasted an amontillado-finished whisky, but this doesn't particularly evoke amontillado for me. It presents as a very wet sherry cask, almost at oloroso/PX levels of darkness, perhaps influenced by the Taiwanese climate's effect on barrels. It had a dark, sweet character, but wasn't excessively sweet like an oloroso or PX might be. Once I detected the resemblance to hoisin sauce, it became the dominant flavor note. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Possibly Would I buy a bottle? - No Note: All assessments are made without considering the price.

Nose: Deep and sweet. Orange candy, milk chocolate, figs. Palate: Rich and somewhat sweet. Bright citrus notes transition to deeper tastes: mushroom, soy sauce, figs, dried fruits, malt, and dark chocolate. It's not overly sweet compared to some sherry-aged whiskeys, which makes sense as amontillado sherry is usually less sweet than, for example, PX sherry. I found the lower sweetness doesn't detract; instead, it highlights the darker, earthier notes. I also felt this had more depth and complexity than other sherry-forward spirits that often lean heavily on dried fruit/raisin flavors. The texture is thinner than I thought it would be, but it's very easy to swirl and coat the flavors. Finish: Dried fruits (raisin), earthy, savory. It's very easy to drink despite a relatively high proof, and the complexity is evident from the first taste. Outstanding. I wish the texture was a bit thicker. I think it's worth the price I paid for the bottle, but I often see it for double or triple the cost, which would make me more hesitant.

Nose: Fantastic with orange marmalade, biscotti, marzipan, spiced honey, raisins, and amaretto. Palate: Powerful, thick, coating, and semi-sweet with some warmth, spiced honey, orange marmalade, raisins, brown sugar, a mere hint of bitterness, a touch of amaretto nuttiness, and light baking spices. Finish: Extended, all the flavors are present and coat the entire mouth, smoldering and spicy.

I sampled this alongside Kavalan's other premium offerings during a distillery tour. It was a standout favorite. The aroma is nutty and like toffee with a hint of oak. The initial taste delivers all of that, plus caramel and spice. The finish mirrors the initial taste, slowly fading into a smooth, nutty aftertaste. Rated 93/100.

The most intricate beverage I've encountered. An out-of-body sensation as layers of black pepper, fresh bread, and vanilla yielded to oak, cinnamon, and toasted hazelnut. The hazelnut intensified over time, joined by raisin notes typical of sherry.