Kavlan Oloroso Sherry Oak Matured

Following my review of Whipper Snapper a couple of weeks back, I resolved to explore more single distillery tasting flights to deepen my understanding of the whisky-making process and how a new make spirit can be transformed into liquid gold or utterly ruined. Consequently, I acquired about 20 whiskies from four distilleries, beginning with a trio from Kavalan. My initial tasting featured a respectable Kavalan, likely the most representative of the core spirit, the Solist ex-Bourbon cask strength. The next logical step: sherry maturation. N: A thinly syrupy opening with a faint acetone note. The typical sherry aromas of mixed dark fruits and oak spice are complemented by a hint of marzipan. Butterscotch and vanilla develop over time. P: A noticeable ethanol burn is unexpected at only 46% ABV, but it contributes to a slightly thick, syrupy, oily profile. The palate directly reflects the nose, with raisins, stewed red fruits, and classic sherry cask Christmas cake. A balancing softness from toffee and vanilla rounds things out. With time, the toffee evolves into a note similar to the brown sugar character of the ex-Bourbon Cask Strength I sampled previously. F: Medium-long. Thick, syrupy, and chewy. Sultana and red fruit notes persist, with a touch of pepper spice and a distinct cocoa running throughout. In summary, this strikes me as a rather standard sherry cask expression. I had anticipated the nose to be more assertive, but it's gentle and somewhat muted; what's there is pleasant but not particularly remarkable or novel. The palate offers clean, sharp flavors, though perhaps a bit simplistic and lacking in depth. I suspect the cask strength version of this offering might be superior. Some pleasant carryovers from the bourbon cask are evident, such as the brown sugar and peppery finish. The spirit burn is not ideal, and I hope it's absent in the next Kavalan I plan to try. It's quite nice, but at a steep AUD 190, I believe there are better choices available, such as The Arran Bodega. [Pictured with this dram (as they happened to be out for their evening walk) are a pair of Asaphus kowalewskii. These fossils are ~470 million-year-old trilobites found near St. Petersburg, Russia. Their elongated eye stalks were ideally suited for concealment in bottom sediments while remaining vigilant for predators.] A decent sherry cask bottling.

No relation to Oloroso, just wood, vanilla, toastiness, smoke, even a slight glycerol; the alcohol is hidden, and the whisky balances well with it. Rating: 4.3. Finish: Unfortunately, the whisky's alcohol level overwhelms everything; very peppery, alcoholic, can't taste the barrels. Rating: 3.9 overall.