Kavalan (Yuan Shan Distillery)

Like many Asian Whiskies, Kavalan requires a shorter maturation period than Scottish, Irish or European Whiskies due to the warm climate in order to develop a comparable flavour. The international success and high recognition of Kavalan Single Malt is due in no small part to Master Blender Ian Chang and the renowned Whisky Consultant Dr Jim Swan.

The first Kavalan bottlings were released in 2008 and are still the Taiwanese distillery's bestsellers today: Kavalan Classic and King Car Conductor, which combine Whiskies from different types of cask, delight with a harmonious flavour profile of exotic fruits, cherry, apple, honey, vanilla, grain and oak. These bottlings are particularly popular in Asia. Later, variants such as the Concertmaster, with a port wine cask finish, or the Podium, which combines new American oak with refill Kavalan casks, were added.

The real breakthrough came with international exports to Europe, South Africa and the USA as well as the success of the Solist bottlings. These Single Cask bottlings at cask strength have received numerous awards worldwide. Among the first were the Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon and Sherry, and the series has since been expanded to include Fino, Vinho Barrique, Amontillado and the Peaty Cask (matured in former Islay casks). In 2015, the Kavalan Vinho Barrique was named the best Single Malt in the world at the World Whisky Awards, and in 2016 the Solist Amontillado Sherry was awarded the title of ‘Best Single Cask Single Malt Whisky’.

Kavalan LÁN has been part of the Core Range since autumn 2024. The Whisky is dedicated to the hometown of Yilan, and the name ‘LÁN’ means ‘orchid’, symbolising Taiwan's status as the ‘Kingdom of Orchids’. The King Car Honey Peach Orchid is depicted on the label.

Kavalan Whisky is bottled without an age statement, as the maturation period of four to five years is shorter than the standard for comparable Whiskies. However, the Solists carry information on the serial number and cask type.

The production figures for Kavalan Whisky have experienced an almost explosive increase: by 2015, the production volume was 1.5 million litres per year. By expanding the distilling equipment, the production capacity was further tripled to 4.5 million litres. Since 2017, it has been possible to produce up to 9 million litres of alcohol per year.

The King Car company began with two pairs of copper pot stills (wash still with 12,000 litres and spirit still with 7,000 litres) and adopted the traditional Scottish distilling technique. The stills come from the Scottish manufacturer Forsyths. Initially, the cut was set at 78-72% alcohol, but this has since been lowered to 65-55% to allow for more aftertaste and thus create a more complex flavour profile. It takes two to three hours to pass through the centrepiece.

Six more stills were added in 2015, and since 2016 there have been a total of 20 stills at the Yuan Shan distillery to distil the alcohol for Kavalan Whisky.

Two semi-lautered mash tuns, each with a capacity of 8 tonnes, work around the clock at Kavalan.

Due to the climatic conditions, the malt for Kavalan Whisky does not come from Taiwan, but is imported from Scotland and Finland. The soft water used in production comes from the nearby Xue Shan Mountains in the Yilan region. The choice of location for the Kavalan distillery was largely based on the excellent water quality in this region.

Since 2017, the Kavalan distillery has been working with a total of 16 closed stainless steel tanks following an increase in production after the original 8 fermentation tanks were doubled. Fermentation takes place over a period of 60 to 72 hours.

The two original huge warehouses of the Kavalan distillery each have five storeys. Due to the risk of earthquakes, the stacked barrels are tied together in small groups of two barrels each. In summer, temperatures in Taiwan can rise so high during the day that the upper floors of the warehouses can reach up to 42°C, while the lower floors remain at 24°C. The average Angels' Share in Kavalan is 15%. The cool nights and the associated large temperature differences ensure that the Whisky matures twice to three times faster than in Scottish warehouses.

As the capacity of the warehouses was no longer sufficient, a new warehouse was opened in June 2024, which offers twice the capacity of the two previous warehouses.

Most of the casks in which Kavalan Whisky is matured are made from American white oak. However, European sweet wine casks are also used for the Solist bottlings. After the first use, the first-fill casks are reconditioned in the company's own cooperage and treated using the STR (shaved-toasted-recharred) process. Kavalan does not use the casks a third time.

Kavalan Whisky is bottled in the company's own bottling plant after it has been diluted with spring water from Yilan to the desired drinking strength - unless it is a cask strength product.

The King Car Group was founded in 1956 and has developed into a major company in the Taiwanese food industry, biotechnology and aquaculture. With around 2,000 employees, the group is one of the most important players in its industry. Its best-known products include the ready-to-drink coffee Mr Brown and Kavalan Whisky, which has now also gained international recognition.

The name ‘King Car’ is made up of the English-sounding ‘King’, an anglicisation of the Chinese word for gold, and ‘Car’, a symbol of progress.

In 2005, the founder and owner of King Car, Tian Tsai Lee, fulfilled a long-cherished dream by building the Kavalan distillery, also known as the Yuan Shan distillery. He named the distillery after the traditional name of the region in which he chose the site. Lee was already a passionate Whisky fan, but it was only when Taiwan joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2002 and the associated end of the state spirits monopoly that private distilleries became possible on the island.

Lee brought Whisky expert Dr Jim Swan on board to help with the planning and construction of his Whisky distillery. Ian Chang, a qualified chemist who also completed training as a Master Blender in Scotland, was responsible for the development of the Whisky and the design of the Kavalan bottlings from the outset.

Construction of the Kavalan distillery began in April 2005, and production of Kavalan Single Malt Whisky started just nine months later. In 2008, the first Whisky was launched on the market, immediately attracting great interest and earning much praise and recognition both in Taiwan and internationally. In addition to Taiwan, the strongest markets for Kavalan today are Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and China. Since 2012/2013, the Whisky has also been increasingly exported to other countries, with Europe, South Africa and the USA among the most important sales markets.

Attached to the Kavalan distillery is an impressive visitor centre, which was named ‘Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year’ by Whisky Magazine in 2011. It welcomes around one million visitors every year.

By the way: In Taiwan, people say ‘Gānbēi’ when toasting. Literally translated, it means ‘dry cup’ or ‘empty glass’, which is similar to the Western ‘Cheers!’ or ‘Bottoms up!’. Traditionally, however, ‘Gānbēi’ is used when emptying a glass completely. In a relaxed environment, especially when enjoying a glass of Whisky, you can also simply say ‘Cheers’ as English is widely spoken in Taiwan.