Since the first drop of new make was produced in 2006 at the Taiwanese Kavalan Distillery by the parent company King Car Group, the whisky has not only established itself in its own country, but has also enjoyed great success internationally. The Kavalan Solist editions in particular, all single cask with cask strength, always stand for great quality and are quickly sold out - even though they are all released without an age statement.
Now, for the first time, Kavalan has presented a single malt whisky with an official age statement: The Kavalan 15 Years Old was launched as part of the distillery's Time Exploration series. 30,000 bottles are available worldwide, bottled at 43% vol. It is already available in the Kavalan Shop and selected local liquor shops, according to the latest press release.
The Kavalan 15 Years Old was created from ex-bourbon, Oloroso sherry, Ruby Port and Puncheon casks. CEO YT Lee said: „We wanted to achieve extraordinary depth and balance with multiple layers of complexity befitting of a high-age statement whisky. So we created a formula based on a four-cask maturation that would maximise the characteristics of each cask and achieve a rich harmony in the final product.“
Nose: Captivating aromas of caramel apple mousse, fresh chocolate, walnut cinnamon rolls, and creamy popcorn, intertwined with subtle hints of dried tangerine peel and plum. The finish reveals the sweetness of toffee and black date fruit, evoking a warm, indulgent sweetness.
Palate: Lush citrus aromas of bergamot, lemon, orange, and grapefruit dance with the sweet whispers of dried cranberries, raisins, and longan, unfolding into velvety notes of dark chocolate gelato and caramel walnut coffee mousse. The finish lingers with the comforting warmth of woody cinnamon spice.
Finish: We don't want this to finish!
About Kavalan
Like Dislike Kavalan is a Taiwanese single malt whisky renowned for its tropical fruit-forward profile, rapid maturation, and international acclaim
Kavalan Distillery (Chinese: 噶瑪蘭酒廠; pinyin: Gámǎlán jiǔchǎng) is a Taiwanese whisky distillery that produces single malt whisky, gin, and ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails. It is owned by the King Car Group and is located at Yuanshan Township, Yilan County, Taiwan. Founded in 2005, it is the first whisky distillery in Taiwan, with its first drop of spirit produced in March 2006 and its first product released in December 2008. In the years since, Kavalan Distillery has accumulated over 950 gold medals in international spirits competitions and expanded its distribution to more than 50 markets globally.
The distillery is named after the old name of Yilan County. The distillery was completed in December 2005, produced its first spirit on March 11, 2006, and released its first bottling, the Kavalan Classic, on December 4, 2008. On the same day, the distillery opened to public visitors and remains a prominent tourist attraction to this day.
In January 2010, one of the distillery's products caused a stir by beating three Scotch whiskies and one English whisky in a blind tasting organised in Leith, Scotland, to celebrate Burns Night.
After its first decade, Kavalan implemented German continuous stills to expand production into the gin category. The German stills are still used to this day to produce the Kavalan Gin, which debuted on the market in late 2018.
In 2025, Kavalan's Solist Fino Sherry Cask was named "Whisky of the Year" and the distillery was also named "Distillery of the Year" at the International Whisky Competition. The same year, the distillery introduced its first age-statement whisky, the Kavalan 15 Years Old (2025 Edition). Following the release, the distillery also debuted its dedicated peated whisky range, the Peatist Series.
43% ABV
70cl
