Kavalan also produces a single malt peated to 10 ppm primarily reserved for the Taiwanese market. Bringing to mind both the smooth character of Bowmore and Laphroaig’s animal and personality, this version is impressively mature. Like these two icons of Islay, the palette of flavours and aromas also stands out for its exuberance and fresh fruit.

TASTING NOTES

Nose : Refined, distinguished. On the first nose, an oily and rooty peat (gentian) takes centre stage. Allowed to breathe, the same peat becomes darker and salty. Citrus fruits (orange, lemon) bring the increasingly empyreumatic (sleet) aroma palette lots of vivacity.

Appearance : Orange Copper.

Palate : Full, smooth. On the attack, the peat takes on astoundingly intense animal tones (smoked lard). On the mid-palate, fresh fig, toffee and mango form a sophisticated trio. As on the nose, the end of the palate is empyreumatic (tar, tarmac).

Overall : Long, dense. At the start of the finish, soot notes pair perfectly with the end of the palate. Ash then spreads across the palate. Returning to the flavour palette’s animal character, the after-taste is also chocolatey and bitter (cinchona).