Omar Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky

A Real-deal Single Malt from Taiwan using Scottish barley and American casks.

When it comes to Whisky in Taiwan, Kavalan seems to get all the attention. But TTL — the Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation — has been making waves recently. TTL was founded as a bottler, importer, and reseller back in 1947. In 1978 they opened their first distillery. They produce a wide range of specialty spirits and Wines tailored to the Asian market. But the popularity of Whisky in Taiwan has skyrocketed and the folks just can’t get enough of it, so in 2008 they released their own single malt Whisky under their Omar and Jade Supremacy brands — to rave reviews.

For the Omar line, they import malted barley from the same sources in Scotland used by the big names in the business (and that’s all they are allowed to say on the matter due to non-disclosure agreements). The grain is fermented and distilled in their newest distillery — Nantou. So far all of the Omar Whiskies have been aged in imported, reused casks. We are talking about their Bourbon cask offering here, and the casks are sourced directly from Kentucky. There is no age statement (NAS), but the near tropical climate in Taiwan means that Whisky ages quickly. To our palate it tastes like a five to seven year old, but is likely three to five.