Dining

Terrific Taiwanese whiskies from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society offer a world of difference

Taiwanese whiskies from the SMWS

With interest in Taiwanese whiskies booming (heavily driven by Taiwanese distillery Kavalan), the Scotch Malt Whisky Society has released two new expressions guaranteed to take whisky fans on a fascinating new flavour adventure.

The Society has released a pair of five-year-old single malt Taiwanese whiskies, both from the same distillery, both distilled on 30th March 2018, and both matured in first-fill bourbon barrels. 

The two whiskies appear to have everything in common, except their flavour profile. One is light and delicate, the other bold and smoky.

Higher Power offers notes of honey, and citrus, while Full Throttle Coal Scuttle, is boldly peated, characterised by intense, charred oak.

The two whiskies appear to have everything in common, except their flavour profile. One is light and delicate, the other bold and smoky…

We’ve been sampling High Power, which is bottled at 55.2% ABV.  The expression is the colour of burnished gold, and offers oaky sweetness and vanilla on the nose. On the palate, we tasted fruit cake and laces of black liquorice, rich honey and juicy sultanas.

The mouthfeel is wantonly creamy, and the finish spicy. 

“This is what makes single cask whisky so exciting and it’s a perfect example of the type of flavour adventures we offer at the Society,” explains Euan Campbell, Head of Whisky Creation at the SMWS.

“Two casks from the same distillery, filled on the same day, yet they offer completely different taste experiences. It’s a fascinating look at how one distillery can produce big differences in flavour. To fully explore the experience, I’d encourage whisky lovers to try them side by side, either at home or in one of our Members’ Rooms.”

Both bottles are available for £79.50 each for SMWS members, with non-members able to join the Society to purchase.

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About Steve May

Creator of Home Cinema Choice magazine, and Editor of The Luxe Review, Steve muses and reviews for Trusted Reviews, T3, Home Cinema Choice, Games Radar, Good Housekeeping, Louder Sounds, StereoNet and Boat International. He’s also the editor of professional home cinema website Inside CI. He's on Twitter/X, Tiktok and Instagram as @SteveMay_UK