The "Best Of the Best Single Malt (2020)" Awarded To Kavalan
The "Best Of the Best Single Malt (2020)" Highest Honors Awarded To Kavalan- Kavalan took home a total of 14 Awards making them the biggest winner of the TWSC
Author - Larry Schoen
Not only did Kavalan receive 14 awards at the second Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition but the Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique was selected from the 128 single malt whisky blind drinks as the “Best Single Malt Whisky”. Then after the a special jury narrowed down the competition to only 14 single malts, the Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique was then crowned “Best of The Best Single Malt 2020”. The Kavalan Solist ex-Bourbon, Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry along with the Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique were also awarded the Superior Gold and 8 other Kavalan expressions claimed gold awards.
TWSC2020 Best of the Best Top 10 Single Malts:
1. Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique (Best of the Best)
2. Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon Cask
3. Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Cask
4. The Essence of Suntory Whisky Yamazaki Distillery Refill Sherry Cask
5. Komagatake 1991 28 Years Old Single Cask No.160
6. The Essence of Suntory Whisky Yamazaki Distillery Montilla Wine Cask
7. Tomatin 30 Years Old
8. Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry
9. Glenfiddich 21 Years Old
10. Glenfiddich 18 Years Old Small Batch Reserve
Along with these top awards the Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry was named the “World Single Malt Whisky Category Winner-NAS” and if that wasn’t enough to top off a great night the Kavalan Distillery was then given the prestigious “Best World Distillery of the Year” award. It is hard to imagine such a young distillery taking home 3 of the top Category and Special awards along with 3 of the “Superior Gold” awards and 8 “Gold” awards but the Kavalan distillery in Yilan, Taiwan just did that. It goes to show that their craftsmanship and attention to detail can compete with whisky worldwide. After such high praise from judges for the unique tase that Kavalan creates, Mr. Li Yuding, General Manager of King Car Group, said, "The results of the selection are unexpected, and we are deeply grateful and very honored to be highly praised by the Japanese whisky industry." This is an incredible start to 2020 and we expect more great things from Kavalan in the near future.
The King Car Kavalan Distillery was established in 2005 and was the first distillery in Taiwan to create whisky. In 2008 the first whisky was produced and for the last 10 years, since 2010 Kavalan has been participating in major International Spirit Competitions, during that time they have won over a staggering 400 Gold or higher medals. Shortly after the Distillery expanded in they won the world's only international award -"The Distiller of The Year" in 2017, which surprised many at first, but since then they have continued to show the whisky world that their product deserves high recognition.
The complete list of awards given to Kavalan at the 2020 Tokyo International Whiskey & Spirits Competition:
Category & Special Awards:
Best of the Best Single Malt Whisky of 2020
Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique
World Single Malt Whisky Category Winner-NAS
Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry
Best World Distillery of the Year
Kavalan Whisky Distillery
Superior Gold:
Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique
Kavalan Solist ex-Bourbon
Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry
Gold Award:
Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish
Kavalan Concertmaster Sherry Finish
Kavalan Distillery Reserve Peaty Cask
Kavalan Distillery Reserve Rum Cask
Kavalan Oloroso Sherry Oak
Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry
Kavalan Solist Port
King Car Conductor