Winemaker
Ian Chang
Master Blender, Komoro Distillery
- Discipline
- Winemaker
- Based in
- Yuanshan, Taiwan
- Venue
- Kavalan · Winery
i. Biography
Whisky making changes under climate pressure, and Ian Chang’s current work at Komoro Distillery in Japan places that question at the center of production. As Co-founder, Master Distiller & Blender, he brings experience from Taiwan into the Karuizawa region, where the stated aim is age statement whisky made in a climate reminiscent of Scotland. “The reason why I left Kavalan is because I wanted to change to a different environment.” Ian has said.
The Honours
Industry recognition in spirits often follows repeatable judgment: blending decisions, maturation control, and the ability to read cask development across conditions. Ian Chang’s tenure as Master Blender at Kavalan Distillery sits in that register, tied to single malt whisky production in Taiwan and the practical demands of a hot climate. His role as a judge for the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) places that palate in a wider trade context. The move to Japan to co-found Komoro Distillery extends the same craft question into the Karuizawa region, with age statement whiskies as the stated production focus.
The Craft
Hot-climate whisky production compresses maturation decisions and raises the cost of waiting, especially where high angel share complicates traditional age statements. At Kavalan Distillery in Taiwan, Ian Chang worked inside those constraints, where blending and cask assessment have to account for rapid change. Komoro Distillery presents a different maturation setting: the Karuizawa region’s climate is described as akin to Scotland’s, giving Chang a new site for age statement whisky work without leaving the discipline of climate-led production.
The Career
Cross-border whisky work is part of the craft record here, not decoration. Born in British Hong Kong and holding Taiwanese nationality, Ian Chang built a career that includes former Master Blender at Kavalan Distillery and current Co-founder, Master Distiller & Blender at Komoro Distillery. His position as Vice President of Karuizawa Distillers links the distilling role to the broader company structure behind Komoro Distillery in Japan.
FAQ What is Ian Chang's day job? Ian Chang is co-founder, Master Distiller & Blender. What is Ian Chang known for? Spirits.
