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A richly sherried Taiwanese single malt from Nantou distillery, balancing dried fruit sweetness and warming spice shaped by sub-tropical cask ageing.
| Spirit | Whisky |
| Style | Fruity, Floral, Nutty, Sweet Spice, Smooth |
| Where's it from? |
Taiwan |
| Volume | 70cl |
| ABV | 46% |
| Pairing/Garnish | Neat, with a drop or two of water or over ice. However you like your whisky. |
Tasting Notes & Serving Suggestions
Pours an inviting copper-amber. On the nose, it opens immediately with dried fruit richness—sultanas, raisins, and candied orange peel—alongside runny honey, toasted brioche, and sweet baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. A subtle floral lift and a hint of roasted hazelnut emerge as it breathes in the glass.
On the palate, it has a satisfying, velvety mouthfeel without feeling heavy. Generous flavours of dark stewed plums, dried figs, and milk chocolate coat the tongue, before drier notes of ginger root, cracked pepper, and gentle oak spice take over. The finish is warming, tidy, and lingering, leaving subtle echoes of dark cocoa, dried citrus peel, and toasted oak.
Serving Suggestions:
Best enjoyed neat in a tulip or Glencairn style glass to appreciate the nose, though a splash of cool spring water will open up softer floral honey and citrus notes. If you are pairing it with food, it pairs exceptionally well with a slab of dark chocolate, spiced fruit cake, or a wedge of mature farmhouse cheddar.
About the Distillery
Nantou Distillery sits in the lush, mountainous green of central Taiwan. Established in 1978 under the state-owned Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation (TTL), the facility spent its early decades producing brandies, liqueurs, and wines before branching into single malt whisky in 2008.
The "Yushan" range takes its name from Jade Mountain—Taiwan's highest peak, towering nearly 4,000 metres above sea level nearby. Rather than copying Scotch or Japanese styles outright, Nantou leans into the island's unique microclimate and traditional methods, focusing purely on solid spirit quality, honest cask selection, and proper balance over glossy marketing.
Distillation & Maturation
Water & Distillation:
The distillery draws pure, mineral-soft water from the springs of the Baguashan and Central Mountain ranges. The wash is distilled in small copper pot stills—featuring three traditional Scottish pot stills crafted by Forsyths of Rothes alongside a historic Belgian copper still—yielding a pristine spirit that retains clean malt texture and fruity ester complexity.
Cask Maturation & Sub-Tropical Climate:
The whisky is matured in seasoned Spanish oak sherry casks within Nantou's warm, humid warehouses. Taiwan’s sub-tropical climate leads to rapid evaporation—an annual "angel’s share" of roughly 6% to 8%—which accelerates the interaction between spirit and wood. This draws deep amber colour, dried-fruit character, and integrated tannin into the spirit in a shorter chronological timeframe. Bottled at a sturdy 46% ABV, non-chill filtered, and with entirely natural colour.