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Kavalan Concertmaster

Kavalan Concertmaster

The name “Kavalan” refers to a Taiwanese ethnic group and means “people of the flatland.” This distillery is only ten years old, but made up for it hiring Ian Chang as master blender and Dr. James Swan to consult. Swan is also responsible for starting Penderyn, which we featured at 2014’s World Whisky Day, among other things. The Concertmaster is their second single malt release and their offerings have been garnering attention since 2010. By 2014, they’d amassed 100 gold medals from spirit competitions, including Best Whisky in the World at the 2015 World Whisky Awards (The Solist). We like the somewhat musical bent the names are taking. Is Kavalan Xylophone next?

Oban 14 Year

Oban 14 Year

Oban is part of the large Diageo conglomerate that has a dozen Scotches under its brand. Whether you like your single malt to be produced under the shadow of a corporate overlord or not, there can be no denying the whisky’s quality. Oban is a picturesque town in the west of Scotland facing the island of Kerrera and the Isle of Mull. The town grew up around the distillery that was founded in 1794, and was aided by a poem about the area by Sir Walter Scott (Lord of the Isles). The geography places a large part in forming this whisky, perched as it is against the sea while at the same time never far from the rich hills and valleys of the interior. The distillery only has two offerings, this 14 year and the Distiller’s Edition. You can be sure it is high on Scotchology’s list of places to visit, both for the town and for the Scotch.

Clynelish 14 Year

Clynelish 14 Year

Located just north of Inverness, Clynelish has been operating at its current location for almost 50 years. Curiously, the distillery provides a great deal of the spirit that is used in Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve and only has two commercial products, a Distiller’s Edition and this 14 year offering (there is a “distillery only” bottle available on sight that is cask strength). With such a narrow single malt offering and so much of their output going to blended use, what sort of exploration will this highland malt offer?