Help: hard liquor in taiwan

Hello friends,

A buddy of mine loves his hard liquor - the stronger the better. I’d like to bring him a souvenir from this good nation. Would anyone know what the strongest liquor they have here is? I myself would also love to try a good strong formosan drink, so you’ll be doing us both favors.

Thanks in advance!

Jin Men Gao Liang 58% or 116 proof.

[quote=“kaikai34”]Jin Men Gao Liang 58% or 116 proof.

[/quote]

/thread

There’s really nothing more to say–strong, Taiwanese jet fuel.

Yep, that’s the stuff you want if you’re not concerned about what it tastes like. IMHO is it absolutely f-ing vile. You can’t even mix it - it still tastes vile. Although thinking about it, it might go well with 蠻牛.

I’ve had better brands, which are much more drinkable. Unfortunately I can’t remember what they are (no explanation needed, I assume).

Your best bet might be to ask the guys in the Duty Free store, but be prepared to pay $1500 and up. Make sure you leave time to put it into your checked baggage - TPTB consider GaoLiang to be a lethal weapon capable of bringing down a plane.

Maybe a bit of kavalan whisky?

[quote=“Icon”]Maybe a bit of kavalan whisky?
http://tw.forumosa.com/t/kavalan/70758/1[/quote]

Noooooooooooo!!!

It’s overpriced and it sucks. For the same price you could get a bottle of 15 or 18 year old single malt scotch. If you get a chance, try it before buying. You will be severely disappointed for the amount you’ll be paying.

[quote=“kaikai34”][quote=“Icon”]Maybe a bit of kavalan whisky?
http://tw.forumosa.com/t/kavalan/70758/1[/quote]

Noooooooooooo!!!

It’s overpriced and it sucks. For the same price you could get a bottle of 15 or 18 year old single malt scotch. If you get a chance, try it before buying. You will be severely disappointed for the amount you’ll be paying.[/quote]

Well, he’s considering Gaoliang, anyways. :laughing:

I don’t think it sucks at all, nor do the people I’ve brought bottles back for in the past. (I’m Scottish, and used to live on the Speyside whisky trail. :wink: ) The consensus is that it is a very nice whisky. No doubt that it is definitely extremely overpriced, though. For the same money, you can get many different premium aged single malts here. But as a one-off novelty item, its not half bad. I’d go for that over any kind of kaoliang.

There are also a bunch of different whiskeys and such you can pick up at the Handicraft Centre near Taida Uni Hospital Station. Smaller bottles so you can give him a range. I remember one whiskey actually tasted like a good rum. :laughing:

thanks fellas for all your input, much appreciated! :thumbsup:

[quote=“kaikai34”][quote=“Icon”]Maybe a bit of kavalan whisky?
http://tw.forumosa.com/t/kavalan/70758/1[/quote]

Noooooooooooo!!!

It’s overpriced and it sucks. For the same price you could get a bottle of 15 or 18 year old single malt scotch. If you get a chance, try it before buying. You will be severely disappointed for the amount you’ll be paying.[/quote]
I don’t understand the high pricing. It’s supposedly very good, but costs more than imported scotches that are superior to it.

It’s made right here in Taiwan and is hardly an established global brand. Yet they decide to price it unreasonably high. I don’t get it.

[quote=“Chris”][quote=“kaikai34”][quote=“Icon”]Maybe a bit of kavalan whisky?
http://tw.forumosa.com/t/kavalan/70758/1[/quote]

Noooooooooooo!!!

It’s overpriced and it sucks. For the same price you could get a bottle of 15 or 18 year old single malt scotch. If you get a chance, try it before buying. You will be severely disappointed for the amount you’ll be paying.[/quote]
I don’t understand the high pricing. It’s supposedly very good, but costs more than imported scotches that are superior to it.

It’s made right here in Taiwan and is hardly an established global brand. Yet they decide to price it unreasonably high. I don’t get it.[/quote]

Chris, it’s Taiwanese marketing 101:

If you price your products high, locals will buy it like hotcakes, because it is established that expensive things give more face, show your taste and are overall better.

It is a tried and true strategy. If you price things too low, people here will not be attracted to it. If it is expensive, they will flock to it.

It is teh same logic that has the Apple Daily populated with ads for LV and Cartier and such.

Correctomente Icon.

Also actually some small sample bottles of the various Kavalan whiskeys are interesting. I found them “interesting” and not worth paying for big bottles. But as a novelty item, interesting is the key word.

Id prefer speyside single malts over kavalan for regular “use”.

Kaoliang is a unique drink (made from sorghum and is kinda sorta like a vodka) . but it is a truly world class vile tipple. Only good thing is that kinmen makes it to run their tanks on if gasoline gets scarce.

It is beyond Horrid. I cant even begin to describe the horrid factor. Its got to be over 100 on a scale of 1 to 10 !

its the devil’s own drink of choice

By appointment to his royal evilness, the devil - by kinmen distilleries

[quote=“Icon”]Chris, it’s Taiwanese marketing 101:

If you price your products high, locals will buy it like hotcakes, because it is established that expensive things give more face, show your taste and are overall better.[/quote]
Cool. I’m going to start selling dog poo at premium prices. Price it high enough, and it becomes a prestige item!

Easy street, here I come! :discodance:

Not exactly hard liquor but fresh Xiao Mi Jiu is a pretty nice tipple.

[quote=“tommy525”]Correctomente Icon.

Also actually some small sample bottles of the various Kavalan whiskeys are interesting. I found them “interesting” and not worth paying for big bottles. But as a novelty item, interesting is the key word.

Id prefer speyside single malts over kavalan for regular “use”.

Kaoliang is a unique drink (made from sorghum and is kinda sorta like a vodka) . but it is a truly world class vile tipple. Only good thing is that Kinmen (Jinmen) makes it to run their tanks on if gasoline gets scarce.

It is beyond Horrid. I cant even begin to describe the horrid factor. Its got to be over 100 on a scale of 1 to 10 !

its the devil’s own drink of choice

By appointment to his royal evilness, the devil - by Kinmen (Jinmen) distilleries[/quote]

I agree with your sentiments. It is vile, but I hear the hangover is mild? I can’t stomach enough of it to get drunk enough to have a hangover, so I’m out. Anyone have any experience with its hangover?

Cut it with water, it’s not half bad.

Kavalan has won many notable awards internationally these last two years ! And more and more critics are singing its praises!

Enjoyed this write up:
connosr.com/reviews/kavalan/ … kavalan-1/

[quote=“Rockefeller”]Hello friends,

A buddy of mine loves his hard liquor - the stronger the better. I’d like to bring him a souvenir from this good nation. [/quote]

Enough said, next time get him a bottle of 58 kaoliang if you haven’t already. Whiskey is not a souvenir from Taiwan. What’s with all the hatin on kaoliang? I used to slam 58 with a coke chaser and it wasn’t bad at all. Coke gives it a nice aftertaste. Buy your hard liquor lovin friend a bottle of 58 and tell him to slam it straight up, then laugh at him and call him a girl when it comes back up through his nose (assuming it’s a guy)

My uncle used to tell me that they can run tanks on the stuff if they run out of gasoline over in Kinmen.

He was a tank commander. And he loved drinking the stuff himself.

I think its truly vile stuff this Kaoliang . May as well drink gasoline.