Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength

Rund, dunkle Frucht, Traubensirup. Schnörkellos

Lovely red wine taste characteristics but seems a bit expensive and overhyped

This thing will arrive at your home in a honey chariot, take you to the prom in a muscle car, and take you back home in an S Class with neumatic suspension. I don't think you'll be able to find a single malt that take you on such a roller coaster ride before you forget you were even there.

The 2015 World Whiskies Award best single malt winner, Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique, was matured in red and white wine casks, which were retoasted before filling them with this strong and powerful spirit. That year, it also won Los Angeles Wine & Spirits competition, obtaining 91 points in that spirits challenge. Bottled at 57.8%abv, at Cask Strength, with the most beautiful dark red color ever, almost black. On the nose it is close to perfection. The first aroma is the most accurate, thick Blackberry jam note that ever existed in a whisky. I felt like taking a spoon to grab a "bite" of it. Red fruits, Chocolate, Strong oakiness; Lots of strawberries and red fruits. The blackberry jam is wonderful; Plums and prunes. Sawdust And Maraschino cherries. A second sip revealed Chocolate and hazelnut, and exact "Hanuta" waffer hazelnut. On the palate, strong spiciness, Blackberry juice. Ginger note is very powerful, more red fruits with strong alcohol bite. It is very grapey and winey. Increibly fruity and strong. Aftertaste is way too dry: Oaky, sawdust, very woody, with a slight chocolate. I don't usually do this, but i added a couple drops of water to see if anything new appeared. Lemon on the nose was the main change, still very powerful with plums and prunes everywhere with hints of chocolate. Overall, i truly believe this is a great whisky, but the aftertaste was too oaky, which is a little dissonant with all the dehydrated and red fruits. It is powerful enough to develop some complex aromas and flavors, but unlike some cask strength scotches, it is rougher and feels younger. My score for it is an 87 over 100, and i understand why it won prizes, but for my subjective opinion, aftertaste could be better.

Nose: light cereal, brandy like notes Palate: vanilla, grapey notes, smooth Finish: sasparilla, cask str heat, barley

Nosing: vanilla, ripen banana, white grapes, raisin. I also got some sherry wine notes... however this is wine cask matured. Some creamy notes, apple, pears, raspberries, plums. Lots of lots of fruity notes... also some brown sugar, or maybe maple syrup. I am getting some chocolate notes too. Tasting: sweet. Some oaky notes, again the raisin. Also some sherry wine notes. And some vanilla. The alcohol effect is quite strong since it’s cask strength (e.g. mouth dry), however I don’t really feel the alcohol kick. Finishing: sweet fruity notes.