This Unusual, but intriguing Single Malt from China is a unique whisky
Have you ever tried Chinese? single malt whisky yet? If the answer is no, you are likely not alone—and for good reason because until very recently it just hasn’t really been a thing to try. However, the US introduction of Goalong Single Malt could be a sign that things are about to change. This is something curious drinkers should consider. whisky Give it a shot.
Over the past few years, there’s been some news about major drinks corporations like Pernod Ricard And Diageo You can claim a place in China’s whisky market by investing there in new distilleries. However, it will be a while before these whiskies are distilled, aged, or ready to be enjoyed. In the meantime, there’s Goalong.
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This whisky isn’t brand-spanking-new, but it’s only been available here in the US for about a year and really hasn’t been covered much during this time. The details are a bit sparse on the distillery’s website (there seems to be a translation barrier), but we’ve managed to piece them together using information from the US importer. The Goalong Distillery can be found in Changsha which is also the capital and largest city of the Hunan Province. The mashbill contains 100 percent malted barley, which comes from Australia. This is not a common source for single malt whiskies. The first release was completely aged in. bourbon The barrels were aged for five years in brandy and bourbon casks. The whisky is relatively young, but apparently the climate where it’s aged is such that there’s quite a bit of interaction between the wood and liquid.
The bottle is ornate and fancy looking, more like something you’d expect from a limited-edition bottle of Hennessy Instead of whisky. And maybe there’s some intention behind this, given the popularity of pricy cognac in China. Although the whisky is excellent, perhaps the decanter is just putting lipstick on a pig. Even though the mouthfeel is thin, this single malt is delicious and fruity. In fact, there’s a bit more fruit and spice notes on the palate than vanilla, really, with some green apple and citrus that seem to be common with a younger malt whisky. Although it is quite strong, I do think many single malt drinkers will find the flavor lacking. That is not a fatal flaw, however, because a five-year-old whisky might not have as deep a complexity as one twice its age—that’s just often the nature of a shorter maturation.
By far, the most popular type of alcohol in China is baiju—in fact, because of the number of people consuming baiju in China it is ranked as one of the most consumed spirits in the world. But there’s a big market for imported spirits there as well, especially Cognac and single malt scotch. With a price tag of somewhere between $130 and $150, depending on where you find it online (rumor is it’s available at some Costcos as well), the producer of this whisky seems to be positioning it into the ultra-premium category. Anyone interested in whisky that isn’t from the usual suspect countries should give this a try if they can find it. Goalong might not become your go-to bottle, but it’s a whisky journey you won’t regret.
Score: 83
What our Score Means
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100: Worth it to trade your first born
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95 – 99 The Pantheon: A trophy to the cabinet
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90 – 94 Wonderful: Friends will be thrilled to hear that you have poured them a dram.
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85 – 89 Very Good: Great enough to buy but not exceptional enough to chase down on the secondary markets
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80 – 84 Good: Solid and reliable, more of your everyday drinker
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Below 80 It’s alright: Honestly, we probably won’t waste your time and ours with this
Every week Jonah Flicker Enjoy the best whiskeys around the globe. Each Friday, he will be posting new whiskeys. latest review.
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