Ghost of Whisky Yet to Come? Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask S090122079 Taiwanese Whisky

I skipped right over Ghost of Whisky Present because I'll be damned if I have to drink Laphroaig Select again.

To the future!

There are so many new whisky distilleries being built all over the world that I've given up trying to keep track of them.  With the Scotch whisky undergoing a market correction, and American whiskey probably doing the same within the next few years, I'm not sure there's a market for all these new distillers.  In Scotland alone, 20-30 distilleries were greenlighted (and more than a dozen older distilleries expanded) during the peak of the market and are now producing their spirit while export numbers continue to shrink.  Who's going to drink all this new stuff?  The Chinese and Indian middle classes?  I wouldn't bet on the Americans.  The newbs can price their whiskies as luxury -- you know, avoiding the shrinking middle class -- I suppose, aiming for the US wealthy, but that sector is pretty larded up already.

One new distillery whose single malts arrived at just the right peak time is Taiwan's Yuan Shan Distillery, producers of Kavalan single malt.  Their single casks hit the international market in 2011-2012 to much critical acclaim from both the everything-is-always-amazing crowd to the oldschoolers.  That high regard has continued right up through this year's Malt Maniacs Awards.  Thus Kavalan has established its roots before Nu Whisky arrives, giving it a better chance in whatever form the market takes next.

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I have consistently disagreed with all the Kavalan raves, not to be a contrarian dick but because I actually had the opportunity to try six of their whiskies in 2013 and was completely underwhelmed.  Their $100 40%abv NAS whiskies were crap when neat, possibly only good for cocktails.  The $150 4yo single bourbon cask was a hot mess disliked by most of the folks at the tasting.  The $175 6yo sherry cask was so-so.  The $150 5yo Vinho barrique was decent.  The 6yo Fino cask was actually close to GlenDronach quality, but it was priced at more than $300.  Thus I had no idea what all the fuss was about, and was happy to not be tempted by very expensive whisky.

More than two years have since passed and $150 for barely legal whisky has become more prevalent and is, sadly, no longer shocking.  Positive reviews from more reliable sources, such as a couple Malt Maniacs who have relatable palates and also an actual maniac, inspired me to give it another go.

Distillery: Yuan Shan Distillery
Owner: King Car Group
Brand: Kavalan
Region: Yuanshan, Taiwan
Type: Single Malt

Age: 6 years (January 22, 2009 to March 9, 2015)

Maturation: "Sherry Cask", probably a sherry butt

Alcohol by Volume: 57.8%
Limited Release: 559 bottles

Samples purchased from the Whiskybase shop

NEAT
Its color is cherry syrup.

Enormous sherry on the nose: walnuts, raisins, dried cherries, and cherry snow cone syrup.  Soon a beef broth note develops and expands.  Maybe some mint too.  After 20+ minutes it picks up an earthy dried hay note and maybe some fresher fruit.

The palate has big sticky grapey sherry (almost a PX).  Chocolate and a mild herbal bitterness.  Hints of burlap and soil.  It's quite hot, but still drinkable.

Grape jam and dark cherries in the finish.  Caramel and chocolate (or maybe mocha?).  A little of the palate's decent bitterness.

WITH WATER (46-48%abv)
Raisins, vanilla, and baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) on the nose.  A little more fresh stone fruits now.

The palate still has an ethyl bite.  Taste-wise there are raisins, plums, maybe limes too.  A little peppery and a slight mineral note.

All sherry stuff in the finish.  Plums, grape jam, and black pepper.

This is good sherried whisky.  Due to all of the heat and humidity near Taipei, the whisky feels like it's several years older than your usual 6 year old Scottish single malt.  And the sherry is loud Loud LOUD.  Since Kavalan isn't held to the SWA's laws, I wonder if the producer utilizes paxarette or includes a generous quantity of sherry right in the cask at the start.

Like Tuesday's very different whisky, the nose is the star of the show.  The palate (and definitely the finish) feel muted after the nose's technicolor vibrancy.  But it swims decently, which is nice.  Overall this whisky might be close quality-wise to Glenfarclas 15 and GlenDronach 15, at least on the nose.  That's the positive side of things.  (For a very positive opinion, yes, see MAO's review from last week.)

On the other hand, if you're in the US, getting your hands on a bottle of this will cost you around $150 (with shipping), and that's only while the Euro is weak.  To me, the quality and price still do not match, probably by a factor of two.  But if spending $150 on a bottle of tempered brown poison is a regular occurrence for you, then have at it.  It's good.

Availability - Europe only
Pricing - $150+ if you're having it shipped to the US
Rating - 87

Ghost of Whisky Past: Hibiki 21 year old blended Japanese Whisky

In the midst of a major transitional period, a 5-8 year timespan that may prove to be the Dark Ages for its two largest producers, the Japanese whisky market finds itself with only very young stock after once being flush with numerous age-stated single malts and blends of excellent quality.  Over a three year period, with demand far outstripping supply, Suntory and Nikka, two publicly held corporations (whose annual production counts for at least 87% of Japanese malt whisky), elected to drain their aged stock quickly and entirely.

While this makes this former fanatic very bitter, I understand that at some point there was going to be a supply issue.  There just wasn't enough of the good stuff to make everyone happy.  What I do question is the management of this supply.  There are ways to regulate outturns and control the market, stretching the stock out another few years while the newer spirit aged.  Yamazaki 12 was heavily stocked at all major retailers week after week, priced at $45 (locally), until it was suddenly totally gone.  Limiting the amounts being exported and raising the MSRP -- which is being done by some Scottish and American whisky producers -- would have irritated many customers, but those same folks would have been much happier to at least have had the option to purchase it at all.  I can see how that may limit short term revenues, but would it have really been worse than tanking a decade's worth of sales just to make a good profit for a few years?

What we're left with are NASes (non-age statement whiskies) from Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibki, Taketsuru, Yoichi, and Miyagikyo.  Having tried the NASes from the Suntory brands, I don't expect to be buying their products for a long long time.  I do hold out hope that Nikka can make something decent, but what price tag will they apply?  And will the quality of From the Barrel, a dynamite blend, take a dive as a result?

Whisky is much less fun with Japanese whisky in this shape.  (No, Chichibu is not an option while its 3 year old whisky sells for $200-$300.)  I hope the recovery is successful, but when Suntory's and Nikka's aged stock comes back on line there are going to be a lot more whisk(e)y options for consumers in 2023 than there were in 2013.

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From the golden years of age statements, here's Hibiki 21, a premium blend from Suntory's Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries.  Five years ago, its US average price was $145.  Today that average has crossed $500, with a number of LA retailers selling it for $800.  I always found the 12yo and 17yo to be pleasant well crafted whiskies.  I've never had the 21 until now.  Thank you to Aaron Krouse (aka aaron197172 of Booze Dancing) for generously providing this sample.

Brand: Hibiki
Ownership: Suntory Whisky
Country: Japan
Distilleries: Yamazaki and Hakushu for malt, Chita for grain

Age: minimum 21 years

Maturation: ex-bourbon casks, ex-sherry casks, and Mizunara casks

Alcohol by Volume: 43%

Its color is a medium dark gold.

My first written note about the nose: "Rly fucken good." That's probably not helpful.  I suppose some specifics are called for.  Firstly, it noses like a much older single malt, like a gorgeous old 30-40 year old Speyside.  Graceful old oak, delicate tropical fruit, a toffee-coffee-baked-apple-and-apricot warm dessert.  After a while, the toffee almost takes over.  Then some salty air and small notes of tangerines and honey.

The palate feels both old and young.  There's dried fruit, ginger, peppercorns, a floral tea, very dark chocolate, and thick malt.  It's not as delicate as expected.  Nice and dry.  Brief moments of wood smoke and pipe tobacco.  A cooling sensation at the end.

There's old musty creaky oak in the finish.  Some soft sherry and roasted malt.  Armagnac dark cherries (specifically the ones I make; someday I'll have to post the recipe).  Tiny bitter notes and cracked pepper linger longest.

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My goodness what a nose.  I'm talking about an all time Top Ten sniffer.  Four hours after the tasting the glass was redolent of the richest caramel sauce.  Had the palate matched the nose, this would have topped Yamazaki 18 as my favorite Japanese whisky.  That's not to say the palate isn't good, in fact it's very good.  It's never sweet, always pleasantly dry.  Very very malty.  It just doesn't stun like the nose.  I also expected a little more time and character in the finish.  But this still gets into the 90-point zone because of that nose.  Though Hibiki 12 and 17 are decent blends, this lives in a separate dimension.

Of course I wish it hadn't tripled in price over the past 5 years.  If you don't mind spending this kind of money, then there are many worse whiskies you can get at this price.  This is in fact, luxurious.  I'm hard pressed to think of a better blended whisky.

(Also, see the reviews by LAWS, Coopered Tot, Booze Dancing, and Whiskyfun for their experiences.)

Availability - Scarce in the US, easier to find in the rest of the world
Pricing - avg price in US is near $500, in Europe it's near $350. It can be found for less than $300 if you do some deeper digging
Rating - 90

Some final thoughts on the Longrow and Kilchoman reviews

After writing about 16 different Kilchomans this year, I'm suffering from Kilchoman fatigue.  You may be too, after my five posts this week, so I promise this will be the last post about Kilchoman for a long while.

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1.  Kilchoman and Longrow are both in my Top Ten Favorite Single Malts list, with the latter being in my top five.  I chose to do these two packed weeks of reviews to end the year thinking that I'd be hootin' and hollerin' with joy about these malts/brands, with there being at least a few super duper whiskies.  Instead, while there were a couple very good items, there were a larger number of not very good ones.  Two things became clear.  First, that these beloved brands were in fact fallible.  And secondly, not only are their cheapest basic single malts (Machir Bay and Peated) respectable, they're better than many of the brands' more premium products.

2.  Getting peat + wine to work well is very difficult, yet most peated whisky producers are doing it damn-the-result style and promptly bottling it in order to expand their product ranges.  In some cases the limited edition hype will clear out the bottles regardless of quality.  But I wonder, are these customers actually opening their bottles?  Or are they hoarding?  Or are they "investing" (aka flipping)?  And for those who are drinking their whiskies, are they so motivated to buy a second bottle or come back for the next edition?  Time will tell if these products can outlast their hype.

3.  Due to the prices of the Kilchoman and Longrow whiskies reviewed over the past weeks, I wouldn't buy a single one of these single malts.  Good-to-very-good young single malts (especially if they're not single casks) will not get me to part with $120 or more.  And I'm one of the fans!

4.  Single malt whisky prices have changed drastically.  The selection of quality whiskies for the lower working classes were abandoned 8-10 years ago.  And now the quality options for the middle classes are fading.  Thankfully, several good basic single malt "expressions" remain.  If we get priced out of those, then the industry (whose volume sales continue to struggle) is going to have to offer us more than NASes to keep our business.

Single Malt Report: Kilchoman 10th Anniversary Release

Happy Christmas, to those of you who do the Christmas!  May you wear your Aunt Clara's bunny suit well.

Yet another ritual stolen from the pagans.

2015 marked the 10th anniversary of Kilchoman Distillery's opening.  Since they didn't actually start distilling until December, their actual 10th birthday is right about now.  In honor of their continuing existence, they released this whisky.

When I read the announcement about this release I, like a number of their fans, got excited that they were putting out a 10 year old whisky!  But it's not a 10 year old whisky.  Nope.  Even though the number 10 is the boldest number on the label, even though 2005-2015 is clearly listed on the label, it's actually a 3 year old whisky.  Or, as per the label, it's a whisky without an official age statement.

Though it "includes whisky from Cask Number 01/2005, the first cask ever filled at Kilchoman", it contains whisky from casks filled between 2005 and 2012.  Thus it's legally three years old......but also selling for $160+.  Though the idea behind this whisky is very cool, the label misleads.  With great regret, I call shenanigans.

Ignoring the preceding editorial, how's the whisky?  I'm very thankful to have gotten a sample of it from my whisky buddy, Brett, who also supplied the Port Cask and Madeira Cask samples.  Thanks, Brett!

Brand: Kilchoman

Region: Islay

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Maturation: a combo of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks
Age: technically three years, with casks from 2005 to 2012

Alcohol by Volume: 58.2%
Limited Bottling: 3,000

Colored? No

Chillfiltered? No

NEAT
Its color shines as a bright yellow gold.

The nose leads off with peated orange blossoms, mint chip ice cream, and rope.  Apricots and dried berries roll in from the various casks.  A nice farmy hint wafts in after a few minutes.

A hardy peat sings the loudest in the palate, one can almost feel both the mossy fibers and smoke.  Mixed nuts in earthy molasses.  Lime candy and black pepper.  Light bitterness, light sweetness.  A chest-filling warmth.  With time it picks up notes of mint jelly and grape jam.

The simple but moderate length finish is peppery and lightly sweet.  Some smoke, salt, and tangy citrus.

WITH WATER (~46%abv)
The farmy note moves forward in the nose, followed by moderate notes of peat, mint leaves, tree bark, menthol, prunes, and brandied cherries.

The palate develops a bracing bitterness to go with a brown sugary peat.  Small notes of menthol, cayenne pepper, and tobacco float about.

The finish holds cinnamon, pepper, menthol, and black coffee with a little bit of sugar.

COMMENTS
The nose is excellent, lovely and full, maybe the most balanced Kilchoman I've ever sniffed.  The palate can't compete, but proves very agreeable in its simplicity.  The whisky swims pretty well, with the nose winning out again.  Price and label gripes aside, this is a well built whisky.  It doesn't necessarily feel older than most Kilchomans, it's just good whisky.  But about that price though, damn.  It keeps me from ever chasing down a bottle.

Availability - Scarce in US and Europe
Pricing - $150-$190, it may be cheaper at the distillery if it's still available
Rating - 88

Single Malt Report: Kilchoman Madeira Cask Matured (2015)

Released a year after yesterday's Port Cask, Kilchoman's Madeira Cask Matured single malt was distilled in the same year (2010 per the website, 2011 per the bottle, again), but bottled a year later.  So this one is a year older.  The whisky also spent its full life in 20ish wine casks, in this case first fill ex-Madeira casks.  I liked the Port Cask, let's see how a little more maturation fares with this winesky.

Brand: Kilchoman

Region: Islay

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Maturation: first-fill ex-Madeira casks
Age: 4 years (2011-2015)

Alcohol by Volume: 50%
Limited Bottling: 6,000

Colored? No

Chillfiltered? No
Many thanks, again, to Brett for the sample!!!

NEAT
Its color is a brassy gold.

The peat is in the mid-to-background in the nose, while ripe apples and limes are up front.  There's lemon cake and vanilla, or is it pound cake in orange syrup?  A small note of peach candy.  By the 30 minute mark the wine has vanished and I'm left with a glass of newmake.

The palate is loaded with cinnamon and tequila.  Reminiscent of their 100% Islay releases.  A roots-and-soil peat.  Gingerbread cookies and a light fruity sweetness.

The simple finish is of cinnamon, tequila, and peppery peat.

Will a little extra water open this one up further?

WITH WATER (~40%abv)
The nose is big on vanilla and marshmallows.  Then gravel, honey, lemon zest, and something synthetic like carpet fibers.

The palate has cinnamon, lots of cinnamon.  Really grassy, vegetal, and sugary.  It's very similar to their newmake.

Cinnamon, vanilla, and marshmallows in the finish.

WORDS

Other than the nose, this is so similar to Kilchoman's newmake that it leaves me surprised that it's even four years old.  The 3yo Port Cask felt more mature than this.  While I do like Kilchoman's distillate, I expected more from this product.  I'm not a tequila (specifically white tequila here, añejo is fine, and so is mezcal) fan, so those notes do nothing positive for me.  I'm used to a richness in Kilchoman's 3yos, but this 4yo was missing that altogether.  While I'm glad the wine didn't topple the spirit, something needs to wake this one up a bit.  Water does not do the trick.  And then there's the pricing...

Wow, I just shat all over this whisky.  This stuff really isn't a horror show.  I'd drink it again and it's sure to warm a body up in the winter.  But it's the first regular Kilchoman I've had that feels younger than its age, which means that their usual magic didn't work this time.

Availability - Europe only, I think
Pricing - $100-$125
Rating - 75

Single Malt Report: Kilchoman Port Cask Matured (2014)

In addition to Loch Gorm, Machir Bay, 100% Islay, and the single casks, Kilchoman added some special releases to their range in 2014 and 2015.  The first of these was a Port Cask Matured single malt.  Though not a single cask, it was a limited release made up of single malt aged entirely in (approximately 20) ruby port casks.  Though the official website references that the casks were filled in 2010, the bottle says that the distillation happened in 2011.  So what we have here is a three year old whisky.  If anyone has a good track record with barely legal whisky, it's Kilchoman (specifically their non-100% Islay stuff).  Let's see how it fares with port.

Brand: Kilchoman

Region: Islay

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Maturation: ex-ruby port casks
Age: 3 years (2011-2014)

Alcohol by Volume: 55%
Limited Bottling: 6,000

Colored? No

Chillfiltered? No
Many thanks to Brett for the sample!!!

NEAT
The color is ruby gold.

The nose leads with cherries and baked fruit tarts, but also heaps of peat ashes.  The peat gets mossier with time and the fruits turn into roses.  There are also notes of white frosting, agave nectar, grass, and dandelions.  Vanilla and a Laphroaig-like peat move in at the 30 minute mark.

Peat and heat hit first in the palate, along with a fruity sweetness around the edges.  Lots of fresh pepper and ginger in the back.  A spicy zing all over the tongue.  Though the fruit is plummy at first, it trends towards limes later.

No fruit but limes in the finish.  Black pepper, salt, ashes, and a little sugar.  The moderate heat reads spicy.

Let's see what happens when it gets soaked a bit:

WITH WATER (~40%abv)
The nose gets rawer.  Burning plastic, dog fur, and cinnamon.  Tart berries, rich peat, and Nillas show up later.

Peat peat peat, peppery dirty peat in the palate.  Some molasses and vanilla.  A hint of ginger.  The port shows up as raspberry soda.

The finish still has a spicy bite.  Smoky residue hovers above sea salt and raspberry candy.

THOUGHTS, MEDITATIONS, AND THAT SORTA STUFF

I'll tell you what, this beats the snot out of the Longrow Red (also Ruby!) Port Cask Matured whisky.  It's certainly much younger, but in this case that also means the wine is more reserved and usually lets the malt do the shouting.  And with the volume cranked up louder, the peaty spirit is crisp and bold.  The palate stands up to the water very well, though the nose begins to look its age.

While this is better than the Longrow Port Cask, it's still a half step behind Laphroaig's Portwood, so I'd love to see them bottle this at 6 years of age, if they're willing to wait, next time.  And yes, it is a relatively small batch, released at a high ABV by a very small business, but the $120 price tag prevents me (and many of their fans) from plucking a bottle from the shelves.

Availability - Getting a little scarce, especially in Europe.
Pricing - $115-$130
Rating - 86

Single Malt Report: Kilchoman Loch Gorm, 1st Edition (2013)

Loch Gorm first hit the shelves in 2013 to great anticipation and sold out very quickly (in the LA area at least).  Kilchoman's single sherry casks had been beloved by thousands of whisky drinkers/hoarders to such an extent that people were paying $100+ for these 4 year old bottlings.  So when Loch Gorm arrived at 6 years of age and around $80, one can understand the excitement.

Luckily for me, one of my good whisky buddies, Tetris, scooped up a bottle in time.  He opened it this year and saved me a sample!

Since then the excitement around Loch Gorm has quieted down.  It's now a 5 year old whisky and its price often pushes $100.  But it's still the cheapest way to buy a fully sherried Kilchoman, with the single sherry casks now priced above $130.  I reviewed the 2014 Loch Gorm and found it sulphury, farmy, young, and crazy; definitely enjoyable, but not worth the money, and not yet up to the standards of other sherried Islays.

But now here's the original, distilled in 2007, released in 2013.  Was it worth the hype?

Brand: Kilchoman

Region: Islay

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Maturation: Oloroso Sherry Butts, then a two week finish in hogsheads
Age: 6(-ish?) years - 2007-2013

Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Limited Bottling: 10,000

Colored? No

Chillfiltered? No

NEAT
Its color is quite dark for such a young whisky.  Darker than the 2014 edition.

The nose is very leathery.  New sneaker rubber peat and tennis balls.  Riding steadily beneath that is gingerbread and mixed berry preserves.  After 20+ minutes, a nice gianduja gelato note appears.

Peat cinders and cayenne pepper lead off the palate.  Something about Kilchoman's sherry casks frames the peat so that it seems larger than that of the bourbon casks.  A soft cherry fruitiness starts around the edges, then gradually becomes more berried and spreads out.

Loads of smoke in the finish.  Smaller notes of saltines and lemon zest.  It grows more peppery, less sweet with time.  A very good length on it.

WITH WATER (~40%abv)
The nose quiets down, closing up rather than opening with water.  Some brighter peat, more floral. Creme de menthe and plastic toys.

The palate gets really herbal and grassy.  Lotsa peat again.  A little bitterness forms.  Dry sherry in the background.  A total absence of sweetness.

The finish is more austere.  Just peat and bitter herbs.

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS...
...a richer and slightly more complex whisky than the 2nd (2014) edition.  It's also becomes a different whisky when water is added, and perhaps more appealing to those who like more austere whiskies.  There's plenty of big peatin' existing right alongside plenty of fruit in the neat version, then tight herbal dry smoke when hydrated.  Loch Gorm #1 won't romance you like Lagavulin DE nor knock you on your ass like Ardbeg Uigeadail, but I'd recommend it over the similarly priced (at the time) Bowmore Darkest.

So yes, I think this one's better than the 2nd edition.  Is it due to its one additional year of aging?  Or better casks?  I'd bet the latter over the former.  If anyone has had the 3rd (2015) edition, let us know in the comments what you thought of it.

Availability - editions 2 & 3 can still be found at specialty retailers in the US, but you might have to go to the secondary market to find the first edition
Pricing - was $80, is probably north of $100
Rating - 87