One of the greatest aspects of life in Taiwan is easy access to a wide range of excellent single malt Scotch whiskies. While these are often prohibitively priced back home due to high taxes, here they are far more affordable, which perhaps helps explain the popularity in Asia of Scotland's greatest export.
As a longtime whisky fan I'm often asked questions like, "What's the best whisky to try if I'm just starting out?" This can be hard to answer but an advantage to living here is that you can encourage people to start with slightly better whiskies, thanks to the prices. For example, I was please to discover this past December that Auchentoshan Three Wood--normally priced a little high for me at over NT$2,000 in Scotland--was only NT$1,300 in Taichung.
 
Auchentoshan is normally recognised for its subtle, light flavours, courtesy of its triple distillation process, unique among Scottish distillers. My preferences are peaty Islay whiskies, so Lowland brews like Auchentoshan never topped my list. However, the Three Wood is named for its maturation process, being aged first in bourbon casks, followed by Oloroso sherry casks and, finally, Pedro Ximinez sherry casks. This makes for a much more robust body than normal and imparts a deep chocolate flavour with--as the name suggests--many distinct woody overtones and a great deal of orchard fruits such as pear and apple.
The resulting whisky has been well-received, perhaps because it falls between the lighter Lowland drams and their heftier Island cousins. Its warmth makes it ideal for seeing out the last days of winter, but it's not so spicy that it would be off-putting on a summer evening. Also, the fact that this whisky is unpeated can also make it more accessible to those new to Scotch tasting and not wanting anything too dramatic.
For those feeling adventurous and looking for a contrasting option, a good starter would be the Talisker Distiller's Edition, available for around NT$1,000. It packs a lot more smoke and peatiness while remaining a very smooth drink, making this pair an ideal introduction to the distinctions between different regional whiskies.
Note: The whiskies noted above can be found at specialist liquor shops around Taichung.
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April 2015
