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    Home » People of Whisky

    Published May 24, 2019 · Updated Apr 16, 2022 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Drams for Fams Whisky Tasting with Nikka & Kavalan

    Jump to Reviews

    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 tasting lineup!

    Drams for Fams samples on mat.this …

    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.

    Jump To: hide
    Drams for Fans whisky fundraising
    Drams for Fams Whisky Tasting featuring Nikka & Kavalan
    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
    Related Tasting Notes

    Drams for Fans whisky fundraising

    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, but I'm sure glad it was in the lineup today!

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    Collage of North Shore Whisky Club & Greater Boston Food Bank banners.
    The top benefitting the bottom for our Drams for Fams whisky tasting

    Drams for Fams Whisky Tasting featuring Nikka & Kavalan

    Hosted by the North Shore Whisky Club, presented by Laura Kanzler, May 17, 2019

    Nikka Coffey Gin

    47%ABV
    Type: Japanese

    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

    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: 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

    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 Coffey Gin, Coffey Grain, Nikka Whisky from the barrel in bottles on a table.

    Nikka Miyagikyo

    45%ABV
    Single barrel
    Type: Japanese

    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

    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: soft smoke slowly enters after initial honey...very sneaky...just knocks on the door after all the clean flavors are at the party
    Nikka Single Malt Miyagikyo & YoIchi in bottles whisky on a table.

    Kavalan Distillery Select 

    43%ABV
    Used for making the Dark Chocolate Whiskey Fudge
    Type: Taiwanese

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: chocolate, black coffee, charred oak, hint of vanilla
    • Taste: chocolate, smoke, leather, slightly buttery, black pepper
    • Finish: finish long and dry, leather, tobacco, hint of sea salt
    • Comments: dark flavors complement each other, the slight tanginess adds complexity; good choice for fudge

    Kavalan Concertmaster

    43%ABV
    Type: Taiwanese

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: coffee, caramel
    • Taste: plums, toffee, cloves
    • Finish: coffee and baking spices
    • Comments: like a cinnamon caramel spiked coffee

    Kavalan King Car Conductor

    46%ABV
    Type: Taiwanese

    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: bourbon influence is strong in this one, more like sherried bourbon

    Kavalan Ex-Bourbon Oak

    46%ABV
    Type: Taiwanese

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: hay, stone fruit
    • Taste: honey, apricot, pears, mango, cinnamon
    • Finish: strong fruit finish with cinnamon and cloves
    • Comments: a jam filled cinnamon roll in a glass

    Kavalan Sherry Oak

    46%ABV
    Type: Taiwanese

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: deeply cooked fruit, creamy oak wood, raisins
    • Taste: rum, raisins, gingerbread
    • Finish: finishes with coffee and rum raisins
    • Comments: 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

    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: deep and rich; an after-drink drink...excellent way to end of the night
    Kavalan Taiwanese whiskey, Nikka Japanese whisky tasting lineup in bottles on a table.

    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.

    Dark Chocolate Whiskey Fudge portioned on trays from overhead.
    Dark Chocolate Whiskey Fudge waiting for their entrance

    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

    Related Tasting Notes

    Whiskey can be found all over the world, and it has such a rich and diverse array of flavor profiles and distinct characteristics to choose from. Here's where you can find a whiskey or bourbon I've reviewed from Asia. Cheers!

    • Asian Whiskey

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    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

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