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.
The Whisky Exchange has dropped three new exclusive bottlings to mark the start of 2026, spanning Scotch whisky, American bourbon and Jamaican rum. The limited collection comprises an experimental single-cask Torabhaig from the Isle of Skye, a punchy single-barrel bourbon from Bardstown Bourbon Company, and a sherry-cask-aged Hampden Estate rum that leans fully into the…
Just in time for Burns Night, Orkney-based Highland Park has announced a limited-edition cask strength single malt whisky. The new release, Cask Strength: Heather, is made using 100 per cent Orkney peat-smoked barley, with peat sourced responsibly from Hobbister Moor, just a few miles from the distillery. Given Orkney’s northern latitude, trees struggle to grow,…
January may feel long and grey, but one undoubted bright spot is Burns Night, the annual celebration held on January 25, marking the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. For whisky lovers, it’s one of the most convivial fixtures of the year: a night where poetry, food and Scotland’s greatest export meet in cheerful,…
The Luxe Review 
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.
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.
Drink in 2026 with these Jamaican sherried rum, peated whisky, and high-strength bourbon exclusives
The Whisky Exchange has dropped three new exclusive bottlings to mark the start of 2026, spanning Scotch whisky, American bourbon and Jamaican rum. The limited collection comprises an experimental single-cask Torabhaig from the Isle of Skye, a punchy single-barrel bourbon from Bardstown Bourbon Company, and a sherry-cask-aged Hampden Estate rum that leans fully into the…
New Cask Strength Highland Park whisky puts Orkney heather front and centre
Just in time for Burns Night, Orkney-based Highland Park has announced a limited-edition cask strength single malt whisky. The new release, Cask Strength: Heather, is made using 100 per cent Orkney peat-smoked barley, with peat sourced responsibly from Hobbister Moor, just a few miles from the distillery. Given Orkney’s northern latitude, trees struggle to grow,…
Toasting the Bard: Where to eat, drink and celebrate Burns Night 2026
January may feel long and grey, but one undoubted bright spot is Burns Night, the annual celebration held on January 25, marking the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. For whisky lovers, it’s one of the most convivial fixtures of the year: a night where poetry, food and Scotland’s greatest export meet in cheerful,…
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