OMAR Single Malt Sherry Cask

Written by Ruey of The Ruey Review
Updated 12 Apr 2016


This evening’s whisky is a very interesting one. Apparently other than KAVALAN, there is another Taiwanese Whisky that has been winning international awards. It is the OMAR single malt whisky by the TTL Nantou Distillery. From the name of the distillery you know that this malt is distilled in Nantou. Situated in central Taiwan, it is the only landlocked county in the country. 

TTL stands for Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation. It is the successor of the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Bureau; which was then preceded by the Monopoly Bureau founded in 1901 by the Japanese empire when Taiwan was a part of it. By now you might have already guessed that the TTL had its roots in bureaucracy and was the only organisation producing and distributing ciggies and booze in Taiwan. This had been so for 100 years until the government monopoly of tobacco and alcohol ended in 2002. The KAVALAN distillery was completed in 2005; it is all starting to make sense now doesn’t it? The fact that now Taiwan is becoming a known whisky producer also goes to show how capitalism, and privatisation can improve service and product quality eh?
Although the TTL was privatised as a corporation in 2002 when the government freed up the liquor industry, you can smell traces of Taiwanese bureaucracy EVERYWHERE. Not to be vain or anything, but the naming of the whisky, the packaging of it, looks of the distillery, the lack of marketing for it, the overall branding of this malt just screams second-class business management. In all these aspects OMAR just isn’t on par with what the King Car Corporation has done for KAVALAN. What does OMAR even mean? It certainly does not sound Taiwanese. It may mean something, but the fact that I cannot find reasons why it is named OMAR on TTL’s website or anywhere else makes the name meaningless. Its packaging looks pretend-American and lacks character. The image of the distillery is on the whisky’s packaging which looks fine until you see photos of the actual cask-shaped building. It looks like a cheap plastic structure you find at a 3rd tier amusement park. The product just has no story, or the TTL just doesn’t bother trying to present it to the public. You cannot find anything about the malt, not on its packaging, not on TTL’s official websites, just videos here and there and they are not even official videos from the TTL! Just clips and interviews by Taiwanese television shows and film studios. I think the fact that whiskies take so long to make, and the fact that they should express the characteristics of the land their distilleries are surrounded by, their stories should be told, because it is part of the whisky enjoyment experience.
Having said all these, it is an “Outstanding” 2015 IWSC Silver Quality award-winning whisky. Let’s hope the whisky itself can make up for the bad business being run by the TTL.

Scent: Definitely notes of grape, fruity but not sweet. Hint of vanilla is present.

Colour: Brownish amber, beautiful wood colour.

Palate: Now this is where the malt gets a bit interesting. The fact that it has strong dried fruits element without any significant sweetness, it reminds me of chenpi, or Chinese dried mandarin peel, and Taiwanese dried pickle plum. These are non-sweet, maybe even a little bit salty dried fruits Taiwanese people produce for medicinal purposes or for snacks. When the OMAR enters the mouth its viscosity goes to the wall of your mouth but interestingly keeps your tongue very dry. Very interesting. After this you get the hint of smoky oak in the background, then some caramel sweetness begin to appear. In the end you can even get a hint of coffee.

Taiwanese Dried Pickle Plum- Photo from 快車肉乾... I think

Verdict: The actual whisky does manage to tell its story which the flavours it packs. It is a shame that the TTL does not give the whisky the management, the care that the single malt deserves. It is like a cute girl entering a beauty pageant with managers incompetent enough to forget the make-ups and outfits the woman needs to compete in the race. The fact that this single malt brings in elements of chenpi and Taiwanese umeboshi means that at some level it tells the Taiwanese story more so than KAVALAN. KAVALAN is a line of fine Taiwanese Scotch, but the OMAR is Taiwanese whisky. However, while the OMAR is an interesting malt to experience, it is not yet refined enough to be something one truly celebrates over. I heard the bourbon cask OMAR is something that is more refined, the result of more mature whisky-making skill. I look forward to seeing whether that is true. When I do, I will be sure to share the experience with you, here at the Ruey Review.