Taiwan whisky brand Kavalan has partnered with artist Paul Chiang and launched a “Kavalan Artists Series” featuring four bottle designs that drew inspiration from Taiwan’s landscape.
Each set consists of four bottles, namely the single-cask, cask-strength whiskies — Puncheon, Virgin Oak, French Wine Cask, and Peated Malt. They are according to the distillery are inspired by the four elements, Ocean, Air, Sunlight, and Mother Earth, each of which plays an essential role in the creation of Kavalan whisky.
The distillery will release a total of 198 collector sets, which come with four 700ml bottlings. In addition each set includes a uniquely numbered and signed edition of one of two silkscreen prints by Paul Chiang titled, “Pisilian” or “Mountain Range of Taiwan.” Meanwhile, a total of 4,000 individual bottles will be released, bottled at 1,000ml for individual purchase.
Kavalan CEO YT Lee said each painting was a labor of love. “Art, like whisky, has the power to stir deep emotion. But this takes decades of hard work and commitment to mastering your craft,” he said.
“Take ‘Puncheon’, which depicts the sea, sky, and stars. Paul painted this work after returning to Taiwan after 30 years, settling on the coast in Taitung. You can feel the euphoria of that time and the beauty of rediscovery.”
“We want to bring together great art and our rarest whisky to connoisseurs an expression of the finest artistry. We are honored to be collaborating with Paul on the inaugural edition.”
The collaboration follows a trend of marrying whisky and art, where rare Japanese collections such as Hanyu card series, Karuizawa Ghost series or world-record setting Macallan whiskies featuring British pop artist Peter Blake and Italian painter Valerio Adami are becoming increasingly sought-after among collectors.
Born in Taichung in 1942, Paul Chiang has traveled and lived in Paris and New York for about 30 years in his pursuit of an art-infused life. In 1998, he returned to Taiwan, and in Taitung, he immersed himself in the abundance of nature. His journey of creation is one marked by massive transformations giving rise to a fantastic body of artworks.
