Kavalan Distillery is located in Yilan County in north-eastern Taiwan and was established by the King Car Group in 2005. The first spirit flowed from the stills in March 2006, followed by the release of the first Kavalan single malt whisky in late 2008. Its name refers to Kavalan, the historic name of the region in which the distillery is based.

Kavalan uses malted barley and pure water from the nearby Snow Mountain range. Taiwan’s subtropical climate, with high temperatures and humidity, creates an intense interaction between spirit and oak. As a result, the whisky develops deep colour, ripe fruit, creaminess and spicy cask character in a relatively short time, although maturation is accompanied by substantial evaporation.

Kavalan is particularly known for its extensive use of bourbon, sherry, port and wine casks, and for the Solist range of single cask whiskies bottled at cask strength. When Solist Vinho Barrique was named World’s Best Single Malt in 2015, Taiwanese whisky secured a firm place on the international stage. Kavalan has since become one of the leading names in Asian single malt whisky.