Kavalan has been named the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition’s (TWSC) 2021 “Best of the Best” single malt. 

Kavalan took out four of the contest’s top 5 single malts, ranking 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th place out of all single malts entered from across the world this year.  

The Best of the Best single malt of the competition is determined by a two-stage process: the top 14 single malts in the first round are independently blind tasted again in a second round by a special team of 15 judges to find the Best of the Best among those 14 single malts.

Kavalan Distillery in Yilan County has been pioneering the art of single malt whisky in Taiwan since 2005.

Also for the first time in the contest, Taiwan was made a new whisky region, with Kavalan scooping its region’s top two category prizes of Taiwanese NAS Single Malt and Taiwanese Single Malt Single Cask. 

Kavalan Awards in 3rd Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition

Best of the Best Single Malt – First Place

• Kavalan 10th Anniversary Sky Gold Wine Cask Matured Single Cask Single Malt Whisky

Category Winner Taiwanese Whisky Single Malt No Age Statement

• Concertmaster Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky

Category Winner Taiwanese Whisky Single Malt Single Cask

• Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky

Superior Gold

• 1st Place -Kavalan 10th AnniversarySky Gold Wine Cask Matured Single Cask Single Malt Whisky 
• 3rd Place – Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 
• 4th Place – Kavalan 10th Anniversary Earth Silver Wine Cask Matured Single Cask Single Malt Whisky 
• 5th Place – King Car 40th Anniversary Selected Wine Cask Matured Single Malt Whisky

Gold

• Concertmaster Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 
• Solist Ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 
• Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 
• Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 
• Solist Manzanilla Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 
• Solist PX Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 
• Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 
• Distillery Reserve Rum Cask Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky

CEO Mr Lee said Kavalan faced stiff competition among the finest single malts, especially in Japan. “We are humbled to be named TWSC’s Best of the Best. We will work hard to live up to this title, improving our quality, smoothness, and complexity for both our fans and critics,” Mr Lee said.  

According to the TWSC, the competition is built upon the Japan Whisky Research Centre’s body of knowledge and was created as the first major domestic venue for the judging of Japanese whisky. The panel of judges, numbering 202 this year, comprises mainly bartenders from prefectures right across Japan and experts in the Japanese spirits manufacturing and wholesale business.