1997 Glenlivet 16 Year Old K&L Exclusive Signatory Single Sherry Barrel Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($66.99)
Although we didn’t advertise it at the time, we actually selected this first-fill sherry barrel of Glenlivet from Signatory as part of our 2012 trip. We thought the whisky was simply outstanding, a shining example of what the classic Speyside distillery can accomplish when one fantastic barrel is isolated from the rest of the batch. What we wanted to do was wait until this cask hit its 16th birthday, then bottle it immediately. You could tell it was right on the cusp of greatness, but it just needed an extra year. While the standard Glenlivet expressions are soft and supple on the palate, they rarely exhibit the amount of fresh sherry influence that this 16 year old barrel exudes. The result is a whisky that’s more like Macallan or Glendronach than what we think of as Glenlivet. Toffee, raisined fruit, baking spices, and cocoa came blasting out of the glass when we first pulled the sample straight from the barrel. This whisky was a beast! Since we knew that a cask of Glenlivet would encompass a larger tent of customers than some of our more esoteric selections, we thought that proofing the whisky down to 46% might be a good idea in this case. After tasting it we knew this was the right move. The spice and heat turn into creamy, unctuous sherry, melting over the palate at a slow crawl. While the whisky isn’t at full proof, it is still non-chill filtered and from one single barrel. For the price, it’s hard to find a single fault with this single malt. (David Driscoll)

1995 Imperial 17 Year Old K&L Exclusive Signatory Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($69.99)
This may be a first (and hopefully not a last!), but we’ve got a lovely Imperial from a great supplier that’s even CHEAPER than the last cask of Imperial we purchased. I’m not going to read too much into this, but single malt prices seem to have come down for the first time in my nearly 10 years of doing this. Maybe we just got lucky, or maybe we’re making better friends, but this is just a screaming deal. We purchased an octave from Duncan Taylor in the 2011 campaign and sold it readily for $100. Now we’re looking at an equivalently aged cask for nearly $30 less! We’re talking about a closed distillery that’s rather well regarded. It’s just shocking. What’s even more unusual is the quality of this cask. This lovely whisky shows all the complexity expected from this high quality facility. On the nose: a freshness that alternates between grassy fields and forest floor. The wood does not hinder the spirit in the slightest and a lovely, comforting grainy quality is evident, alongside the fresh foliage and subtle grass. Sweet herbs (maybe dill or mint), navel orange pith, and a textural richness that’s surprising considering the lighter aromas. Long, lengthy, rich, even borderline-syrupy. This is sure to be a classic and maybe even collectable at this price! (David Othenin-Girard)

1995 Miltonduff 18 Year Old K&L Exclusive Signatory Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($69.99)
Miltonduff was all over our trip this year, whether in its normal single malt form or under the name Mosstowie, referring to a separate whisky made on site using a Lomand still. While we skipped the Mosstowie (those Lomond stills are hard to work with no doubt) we could not pass up the opportunity to buy delicious, cask strength, 18-year-old whisky for this price. Miltonduff might be familiar to some as it is the key ingredient in the famous Ballantine’s blend. It is this particular whisky that makes me believe the Ballantine’s 17-year could actually be rated as Jim Murray believes it should be. Altogether more typically a Highlander than Speyside (if these regional descriptions mean anything to anybody any longer), it’s a powerhouse. Phenolic and earthy, there’s this sort of flinty aroma, it’s not sulfur, but more struck flint on iron. Sparks! There’s some herbal extract (Indian ginseng), floral remedies (crushed flowers) and an oily texture. If someone were using heavy machinery (like a license plate printing press) nearby while you were nosing this whisky you probably wouldn’t notice. An intense, powerful and unusual whisky that makes you pause for a moment before filling your glass again. And you will fill it again. (David Othenin-Girard)

United States – Bourbon and Rye

• Hooker’s House Rye 750ml ($35.99)

K&L Wine Merchants
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Email: wine@klwines.com
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