After the Kavalan Solist Brandy and Port casks, we finished our trio with the familiar Sherry cask.
Except this is the thing about all Kavalan Solist whiskies, each is a unique cask which means there is also something to discover about the elements specific to that particular cask – be it from 2008, 2009 and even two from (2010 + 2010).
So which one did we try? A cask from June 2009….
Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask S0906080388 Bottle 098/522 57.8%
Nikkhil’s tasting notes
- Color: Dark Varnish
- Nose: Now that’s what you call a Sherry monster! A blast of prunes, orange oil, espresso, chocolate. Whiff of pencil shavings, tobacco, leather, old furniture. Stunning!
- Palate: Thick like treacle. Gorgeous mouthfeel, if only silk was edible! Follows the nose note to note. It was Christmas all over again. Drams like these should not be dissected. They are simply too complex for words. Hence I’m going to stop. Just sit back and enjoy this masterpiece.
- With Water: All the gorgeousness gets amplified.
- Finish: Long and warming. Like a conversation with an old friend.
Photo: Keshav Prakash
And now… to shift from what the tasting group had to say to the separate sampling session…
Carissa’s tasting notes:
- Nose – More restrained than the 2nd dram, yet clearly has a solid sherry quality, dry, tight fruits
- Palate – Rich, velvety quality, coffee, chocolate, complex, almost evaporates in the mouth, gorgeous and completely delicious, silky smooth and refined
- Finish – Not just long, simply remarkable
The colour alone gives it away – deep dark maple syrup. Had all the hallmarks of a mature whisky – the way a sherry cask matured dram should be. “We are not worthy.” Exceptional.
Photo: Keshav Prakash
And the reveal?? Kavalan Sherry… not old at all, just the beneficiary of an accelerated maturation in the warm climate of Taiwan.
The folks at Kavalan have this to say about their Sherry Cask:
Matured in Spanish top quality oloroso sherry casks in special editions, Kavalan Solist Sherry is bottled at the distillery, without any colouring or chill-filtration. It is a naturally smooth and rich whisky with a complex character. It is clean and complex with multi-layers of dried fruit, nuttiness and spices with some marzipan and vanilla touches to it as well.
- Color – Dark and mouth-watering raisin
- Nose – Clean and complex with multi-layers of dried fruit, nuttiness and spices with some marzipan and vanilla touches to it as well.
- Palate – Rich, oily and full with pleasant dried fruit and spices that linger on in the mouth plus a hint of fine coffee.
- Tasting – We suggest drinking Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Cask neat.
Our Kavalan Cask Trio covered:
- Kavalan Solist Brandy Cask AO90709055 Bottle 052/281 55.6%
- Kavalan Solist Port Cask 0090728014A Bottle 188/205 58.6%
- Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask S0906080388 Bottle 098/522 57.8% (This post)
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Whisky Lady 
Any price points in $
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All depends on where you are buying it! We’ve also noticed a bit of a jump in price too.
To get a feel for costs, it is always good to check out online stores like The Whisky Exchange or Master of Malt. I just typed in Kavalan Solist Sherry and it said GBP 130 / USD 180 for this cask https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/36492/kavalan-solist-sherry-cask-012a-2009
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