Kavalan 15 Year Old Vintage 2009 Olorosso Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky

Kavalan 15-Year-Old Vintage 2009 Oloroso Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky is like a dark, mysterious hero—rich, bold, and with enough character to make you feel like you’re sipping on a plot twist in a bottle.

Made in Taiwan, 54.8% ABV (109.6 Proof), Single Malt Whisky

The Kavalan 15 Year Old Vintage 2009 Oloroso Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt is a powerhouse whisky that proves Taiwan is playing in the big leagues of single malt mastery. Aged for 15 years in a first-fill Oloroso sherry cask, this limited-edition gem is deep, complex, and absolutely dripping with bold character.

From the first pour, the dark amber hue hints at the richness within. The nose is a sensory feast—dried figs, dark chocolate, roasted nuts, and warm baking spices, all wrapped in that signature sherry cask richness. On the palate, it’s pure decadence: layers of ripe dates, toffee, cinnamon, and espresso, balanced with oak-driven depth and a velvety mouthfeel. The cask strength ABV packs a punch but delivers a finish that’s long, warming, and laced with lingering dark fruit and spice.

A rare find for collectors and sherry bomb lovers alike, Kavalan’s 15-Year Oloroso Sherry Single Cask is not just a whisky—it’s a statement. Bold, refined, and unforgettable, this is Kavalan at its finest.

From the Whisky Advocate: "Kavalan, Taiwan’s most prominent distiller, is releasing two of its oldest whiskies to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of its Solist Series of single cask expressions. This collectible duo was released in Taiwan in July 2024, but now the 15th Anniversary bottlings are being rolled out to select U.S. markets. The Kavalan team selected barrels of whisky, distilled in 2009, aged in bourbon barrels and oloroso casks, ranging in strength from 50%-59.9%. While each bottle is a single cask release, the number of single casks used for the 15th Anniversary bottlings is more than two, but the exact number has not been disclosed.

What’s the big deal about a 15 year old whisky from Taiwan? Two words: angels’ share. A pioneer in world whisky, the King Car Group opened Kavalan Distillery in Yilan County on the eastern side of the island in 2005. The area enjoys a subtropical climate, with hot summers and high humidity. That makes whisky mature much quicker than a country with a damp, maritime climate like Scotland. Kavalan Distillery includes smart engineering adaptations to mitigate the heat, such as using cooling jackets wrapped around its stainless steel washbacks. These optimize the internal environment enabling the yeast to produce the fruity esters that contribute to Kavalan’s signature style. The hot conditions also help Kavalan’s whisky reach peak maturation within a few years, so an age statement of 15 years is quite remarkable. The turnover of casks due to the heat is so high that Kavalan managed all their stock with just two large warehouses until 2024, when they completed work on a third warehouse. The angels’ share at Kavalan can exceed 10% per year, as the temperature on the highest floors can top 100°F during the humid summers, putting the contents of older casks at risk of significant evaporation. This is why it’s best not to compare an age statement on a world whisky made in a warm climate to a scotch of an equivalent age."