Kavalan Podium

I tried this Kavalan Podium for the first time at a Kavalan tasting in Gent. This is the virgin oak expression for which Ian Chang – the Master Blender – brought together new American oak with refill bourbon and sherry casks. Otherwise the influence of the virgin oak would be to powerful (too spicy and too many tannins). It is wonderfully fresh and summery with hints of yellow plums, strawberrie, peach, Granny Smith apples, coconut, banana and papaya. So, a fruity animal. It also has a floral touch that I find in almost all of the Kavalan. Wonderfully spicy with cinnamon and some cocoa. It is mouth coating, spicy and sweet, but with a mildly drying effect. Honey, vanilla, peach and strawberries again. The coconut evolves towards almond milk. Some leather making it dry, I’ve said it. The finish is quite long on the same spices as on the nose and loads of sweet fruity notes. Fairly straitght forward (meaning that nose, taste and finish are all-in the same league), but very aromatic and tasty. One of the better Kavalan (leaving the wonderful single cask Solist releases out of the equation).

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