King Car is the name of the Taiwanese company that owns the Kavalan brand and this lavishly packaged single malt is its standard bearer. It's not hard to see why. More subtle and complex than some earlier bottlings of Kavalan, this has an exotic fruit, cream toffee, and soft banana nose, and has bitter orange, dark chocolate, and pepper on the palate. It's rapier-sharp, clean, and drying rather than sweet.

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Summer 2012)

If you didn’t know what it was, you’d swear this was an old and venerable big sherried whisky, and it takes some accepting that it’s still a kitten. The clues are there: hints of immature green fruit and reedy barley, and the finish is sweet and soft, with none of the astringency of an old wood-influenced malt. But it tastes wonderful: rich, sweet, and grapey, with gooey plums and juicy raisins. A sprinkling of pepper dust reins everything in perfectly. €155 Currently not available in the U.S.

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Summer 2011)

When the news arrived that a distillery was being built in Taiwan, the whisky world pretty much dismissed it. When Kavalan appeared at a precocious 42 months, it sat up and took notice. Owned by food and beverage conglomerate King Car, Kavalan started producing in 2006 with blender Ian Chang at the helm — and a hotline to consultant Dr. Jim Swan. Taiwan’s tropical climate pushes the maturation cycle along at a ferocious rate, but the key here is its complexity. Maybe it’s auto-suggestion, but I could swear there’s ginseng in here, as well as honeycomb and black cherry pie filling. Fresh and clean, the spirit is rich and accompanied with great wood. Mature whisky in three years? It’s an accountant’s dream!

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Winter 2010)

Admirably, they go to all the trouble of bottling single casks individually for their Solist range at Kavalan Distillery. This single cask has the most gorgeous, deep ruby color and a very fruity nose: pomegranate, fresh orange, plum, walnut jam, macadamia, and some zestier elements. At full strength, it’s mouth drawing; warm, fruity, with stewed plums, young rhubarb, pepperpots, and fine-quality dark chocolate. A clean finish, with the fruit and wood spices remaining fresh to the end. (181 bottles) NT$3,500

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2016)

Two out of three ain't bad. While Kavalan doesn't quite pull off the hat trick, this is no album filler either (can we still say that?). It is Karaoke Kavalan, Taiwanese X Factor whisky: a perfect reproduction of a big, plummy, pruney, tannin-soaked rich fruit compote with late fall damp forest notes. It says a lot about this distillery that five years ago we'd have marveled at this. Today, and by its own standards, it's Kavalan doing an Aerosmith ballad.

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Summer 2013)

Whether it’s New York, London, Paris, or Yilan (home of Kavalan), this expression uses the fashionable technique of maturing unpeated spirit in former peaty whisky casks. Sweet, seasoned wood smoke, chocolate peat, dry spices (notably roasted coriander seed), citrus, and tropical fruits. A thick, warming, unctuous mouthfeel perfused with peat smoke, tangy grapefruit, and baked orange, ending on a fruity red licorice and gentle peat finish. Water unlocks moreish, honeyed citrus sweetness, with a peaty nip in the tail. (Distillery exclusive) NT$1,560

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2016)

With two distilleries now on-site, the new Kavalan has a nose of apple and cinnamon pie, loaves of bread, new hardback books, flashes of lemon peel, and mild spices that flatter the baked fruits. A lighter structure, with pleasant green apple and pear notes, a tingle of pepper and allspice, becoming creamier with the flavor of sherbet flying-saucer candy. More active spices on the finish amid fading fruits.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2018)