This bottle of Kavalan Podium has been in my collection for a few years now, in fact the sticker on the back tells me it’s been bottled on the 19th of October 2020 at 16:15. I do love that they include that little fact, as it makes it much easier to scour the shelves for a birthday bottle. Unfortunately, this one is far off for me though.
Last week I was visiting a new liquor shop that really got me excited. It’s owned by a true whisky lover, with an amazing passion for sharing that love with others. In Oud-Beijerland you’ll find the Living by the Dram shop, including a tasting room hidden behind one of the shelves! You can check out the brand new web shop as well, but if you want to really explore this cool new shop you’re going to have to visit the real deal. You won’t be disappointed!
During my visit I stayed for almost three hours!! And I went home with one of the custom signed Living by the Dram glasses. Just look at that stunning Amber nosing glass!
Aside from the shop and web shop you can also join the Living by the Dram Whisky Club and explore the world of whisky through various tastings. Of which yours truly will be hosting the World Whiskies Tasting the 26th of July!
Tasting Notes – Kavalan Podium
ABV: 46% (92 proof)
Age: NAS
Distillery: Kavalan
Chill-filtered: No
Natural Colour: Yes
Nose:
Luscious notes of sherry appear as soon as you approach the glass. Fresh dates, dried figs, rum soaked cranberries and loads of brown sugar, paired with some ever so slight wooden notes to bring some balance. Cigar boxes and old Victorian wood carvings come to mind.
Palate:
Plenty heat for a 46% abv dram. There’s a bunch of red pepper, some oak shavings, and an intense salmiak note that makes the palate of this dram quite hefty. Behind that initial heat there’s a bouquet of red fruits, with dried strawberries, cranberries, and raspberries as the most notable mentions.
Finish:
The finish is long and far less tannic than I would have expected from the palate. It reminds me vaguely of the after taste of a nice shiraz. Red wine, liquorice root, and oak shaving take center stage in the finish of this long-lasting dram.
Verdict:
There’s a good reason this whisky stayed on the shelves for such a long time, and that’s because I don’t like it. It is an intense dram though, with the cask influence really taking center stage. And that makes this dram a challenge at times, a rather pleasant challenge (don’t get me wrong) but one I’m not up for every night.