Helping others with a Drams for Fams whisky fundraiser harnesses the camaraderie of whisky to help the local community fight hunger while offering a wonderful Nikka & Kavalan whisky tasting lineup!
Jump to:
- Drams for Fams whisky fundraiser
- My Tasting Notes
- Nikka Coffey Gin
- Nikka Coffey Grain
- Nikka from the Barrel
- Nikka Miyagikyo
- Nikka Yoichi
- Kavalan Distillery Select
- Kavalan Concertmaster
- Kavalan King Car Conductor
- Kavalan Ex-Bourbon Oak
- Kavalan Sherry Oak
- Kavalan Vinho Barrique Cask Strength
- Pairing Fudge with Whiskey
- Final thoughts
- More Asian whiskey tasting notes
- Comments
Whisky tastings are fun, I’ll admit. Good friends, good whisky, good times. And sometimes whisky tastings can be harnessed for the greater good.
Back in 2016, the Edmonton Scotch Club (in Edmonton, Alberta) hosted a whisky tasting to raise funds for their local food bank, then challenged other whisky clubs to do the same…a Drams for Fams whisky fundraiser, as it were.
Now there are 12 locations across North America hosting tasting events raising money for their local communities, and over $50,000 has been raised so far.
Drams for Fams whisky fundraiser
Here in Boston, the North Shore Whisky Club recently hosted their second annual Drams for Fams whisky fundraiser to benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank. Their goal is to continue having the event each year, and to exceed the previous year’s donation (and I believe they did this year!).
Laura Kanzler of Hotaling & Company presented a spirited class (see what I did there? I crack myself up) about the history of whisky in Japan and whiskey production in Taiwan while featuring a wonderful lineup of Nikka Japanese whisky (and a gin) and Kavalan Taiwanese whisky.
I've tried Japanese whisky only a couple of times, and I'm sure glad it was in the lineup today!
My Tasting Notes
Drams for Fams whisky fundraiser - Nikka & Kavalan
Hosted by: North Shore Whisky Club
Presented by Laura Kanzler, May 17, 2019
Nikka Coffey Gin
47% ABV
Type: Japanese
Keywords: Gin
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Green bushes, juniper, Meyer lemon
- Taste: Meyer lemon, juniper, black pepper, eucalyptus, oily mouth feel
- Finish: Ends in black pepper and light eucalyptus
Comments
The juniper is secondary to the lemon and eucalyptus
Nikka Coffey Grain
45% ABV
Type: Japanese
Keywords: Japanese Whisky, Whisky
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Vanilla, toffee, oatmeal
- Taste: Soft entry, toffee, then brown sugar and white pepper rise
- Finish: White pepper with some light menthol
Comments
It's vanilla and brown sugar oatmeal in a glass, drinkable and pleasant.
Nikka from the Barrel
51.4% ABV; Represents all the parts of Nikka from all over Japan
Type: Japanese
Keywords: Japanese Whisky, Whisky
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Butterscotch and caramel sauce, cedar, cinnamon stick, brown sugar candy
- Taste: Medium body, toffee, basil, light smoke, baking spices and white pepper
- Finish: Long finish with baking spices and white pepper
Comments
Approachable with a higher hit, sherry adds so many flavors underneath
Nikka Miyagikyo
45%ABV; Single barrel
Type: Japanese
Keywords: Japanese Whisky, Single Malt, Whisky
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Floral and fruity, roses
- Taste: Plums, pears with cinnamon, oak, thyme, caramel, thick and oily, creamy body
- Finish: Lingers on cloves and thyme, sweet honey syrup
Comments
Lots of flavor from the plums and cinnamon
Nikka Yoichi
45% ABV
Type: Japanese
Keywords: Japanese Whisky, Whisky
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Green herbs, hay, honey
- Taste: Hay, honey, caramel, white pepper, ash, medium body
- Finish: Smoke slowly enters and lingers long with menthol and light honey
Comments
The soft smoke slowly enters after initial honey...very sneaky...just knocks on the door after all the clean flavors are at the party!
Kavalan Distillery Select
43% ABV; Used for making the Dark Chocolate Whiskey Fudge
Type: Taiwanese
Keywords: Taiwanese Whisky, Whisky
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Chocolate, black coffee, charred oak, hint of vanilla
- Taste: Chocolate, smoke, leather, slightly buttery, black pepper
- Finish: Finishes long and dry, leather, tobacco, hint of sea salt
Comments
The dark flavors complement each other, the slight tanginess adds complexity. It's a good choice for fudge.
Kavalan Concertmaster
43% ABV
Type: Taiwanese
Keywords: Taiwanese Whisky, Whisky
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Coffee, caramel
- Taste: Plums, toffee, cloves
- Finish: Coffee and baking spices
Comments
Tastes like a cinnamon caramel-spiked coffee.
Kavalan King Car Conductor
46% ABV
Type: Taiwanese
Keywords: Taiwanese Whisky, Whisky
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Deep fruit, brown sugar syrup
- Taste: Honey, then sharp baking spices, higher hit of white pepper
- Finish: Baking spices linger with prunes stewed in brown sugar
Comments
The bourbon influence is strong in this one, more like sherried bourbon.
Kavalan Ex-Bourbon Oak
46% ABV
Type: Taiwanese
Keywords: Blended Scotch, Bourbon Cask Finish, Taiwanese Whisky
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Hay, stone fruit
- Taste: Honey, apricot, pears, mango, cinnamon
- Finish: Strong fruit finish with cinnamon and cloves
Comments
It's like a jam filled cinnamon roll in a glass.
Kavalan Sherry Oak
46% ABV
Type: Taiwanese
Keywords: Blended Scotch, Sherry Cask Finish, Taiwanese Whisky
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Deeply cooked fruit, creamy oak wood, raisins
- Taste: Rum, raisins, gingerbread
- Finish: Finishes with coffee and rum raisins
Comments
It's a rum fruitcake, deeply flavored.
Kavalan Vinho Barrique Cask Strength
57.8% ABV; Aged in CA red and white wine barrels, an extra special pour
Type: Taiwanese
Keywords: Blended Scotch, Cask Strength, Taiwanese Whisky, Wine Cask Finish
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Molasses, raisins, dark rum
- Taste: Strong entry, raisins, tannic, gingerbread, medium body
- Finish: Raisins, dry and astringent, ginger and cinnamon lingers long and rich
Comments
This expression is deep and rich, a perfect after-drink drink and an excellent way to end of the night.
Pairing Fudge with Whiskey
In addition to attending the tasting, I got to pair a dessert as well.
I paired Dark Chocolate Whiskey Fudge with the Kavalan Distillery Select to serve as dessert for the evening, and everyone was pleased.
Good times.
Final thoughts
Being able to share good whisky with good friends is wonderful, and helping to fight hunger in the community is even better.
Want to attend a Drams for Fans whisky fundraiser?
If you’d like more information about a Drams for Fams whisky fundraiser, head t o their website.Better yet, seek out these events in your neighborhood (they’re usually held in April or May), or encourage your local whisky club to join the movement.
Let’s harness the power of whisky camaraderie for the greater good!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
I hope you like this review! If you've tried any of the expressions and have your own tasting notes, please leave a comment. Thanks!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
Matt says
Landed here to read the tasting notes on the Kavalan Distillery Select after reading the whisky fudge recipe. Sounds delicious… gonna have to find a bottle! 🙂
Tammy Spencer says
Enjoy!