Kavalan Makes History in Tokyo, Securing 18 Medals

Monday, 11 August 2025 at 07:03PR Newswire

The Taiwanese whiskey maker Kavalan made whiskey history at the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition 2025 (TWSC). The distillery not only stole the show but bagged a total of 18 awards with its liquid gold.

FAQ

What is the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition 2025?
An event in Japan where whiskies are tested for aroma, color, flavor, and quality.

What is the historic first that Kavalan achieved?
No brand has ever won the 'Best of the Best Single Malt' prize with two whiskies at the TWSC.

How many medals did Kavalan win in total during TWSC?
20. Besides the double grand prize, the distillery also won 18 other medals.

What is the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition 2025?

At the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition 2025, one of the largest whisky contests in Asia, whiskies from all over the world were tested. Participants came from 30 different countries, from Scotland to Japan, and brought a total of 639 whiskies.

The 213 judges tasted these whiskies blindly and rated the drams based on aroma, color, flavor, and consistency. Based on these criteria, points were allocated to the whiskies, and it was decided who would move on to the next round.

In the final round, 41 judges tasted the TWSC 2025 finalists. And it ultimately turned out that Kavalan had made history.

How did Kavalan's whisky make its mark in history?

The Taiwanese distillery scored gold with as many as 18 whiskies. Below is a list of all the whiskies that received the highest ratings in Tokyo:

Superior Gold

Kavalan Solist ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Solist Peated Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Solist PX Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Lán Single Malt Whisky

Gold

Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Solist Madeira Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Concertmaster Vinho Barrique Finish Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Podium Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Wine Oak Single Malt Whisky
Kavalan Port Oak Single Malt Whisky

Best of the Best Single Malt

Kavalan is not just taking home this massive amount of gold medals. Two of their whiskies also scooped the highest honor of TWSC 2025: the title Best of the Best Single Malt.

The whiskies that won this award are Kavalan Solist PX Sherry Cask and Kavalan Lán. One is a whisky priced over 400 euros and the other a whisky you can get your hands on for approximately 80 euros.

Fun Fact: The TWSC uses one of the strictest evaluation systems in Asia. This makes a double win in the same category not only rare, but in this case, historically unique.