JULY auction is now LIVE!

Our latest auction is now live and will end on Tuesday 9 August.

This time we have a stunning selection of Italian independent bottlings from Sestante, Samaroli, Silver Seal and Moon Import – look out for the Ardbeg 1973 ‘Islay’ from the Samaroli Fragments of Scotland series.

And don’t miss out on the Japanese whisky, as we have some very rare geisha label bottlings from Karuizawa as well as the Hanyu 1986 Ace of Diamonds. Good luck with your bids! 

• A H Hirsch 1974 – Lawrenceburg
• Ardbeg 10 & 12 Years Old – Bot.1960s
• Bowmore Sherriff 7 Years Old
• Laphroaig 1960 – 40 Years Old
• Macallan–Glenlivet 1937 Miniature
• Old Rip Van Winkle Old Time Rye – 12 Year Old
• Killyloch 1967 – 36 Years Old
• Karuizawa 1981 Noh Cask 4333 – 94 Bottles Only
• Springbank 1966 Local Barley Cask 507
• Talisker 1973 Bottle No 1 – Oddbins

You can bid in two ways: either increase the highest bid by a fixed amount, or place your maximum bid straightaway – ideal if you can’t be online on the last day of our auction. Be the first to bid!

Get bidding, and good luck! The Whisky Auction team.

Tomatin 36 Year Old Batch #2

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The BenRiach Distillery Company wins 16 medals in the 2016 International Wine and Spirits Competition

THE BenRiach Distillery Company has won 16 medals, including 3 Gold medals, across its three brands at this year’s International Wine and Spirits Competition. 

Founded in 1969, the International Wine and Spirit Competition is one of the most prestigious in the world. It was set up to highlight excellence amongst the world’s best wines, spirits and liqueurs. Now in its forty-seventh year, it receives entries from over 90 countries, giving it global reach and reputation.

Judging for the Competition is unique in that it has two stages; first, the products are tasted blind by expert panels, selected from over 300 fully experienced and qualified industry judges. Then, products which receive the top medals are subject to technical analysis before results are released. This crucial stage ensures winners receive complete validation.

The company took three Gold, six Silver Outstanding, five Silver and two Bronze awards.

Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “We are delighted to win these sixteen awards, especially as they are spread across all three of our brands.

“For three years running, our Glenglassaugh 30 Years Old has taken Gold so it’s clearly a magnificent dram. It was our first release from the Portsoy distillery after we took over in 2013 so it’s very special to us. It has matured in coastal warehouses for over 30 years and has an elegant sherry-cask background.

“It’s very pleasing that GlenDronach Original Aged 12 Years took Gold for a second year. This is testament to the quality of the whisky, which has matured in the finest Spanish Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks.

“And we’re also delighted to see the GlenDronach Hielan’ Aged 8 Years move up from last year’s Silver to take Gold this year. For such a young whisky, it has consistently won critical acclaim worldwide, and it’s great to see it up there taking Gold and being compared with some venerable aged whiskies.”

The full list of awards is:

GOLD

GlenDronach 8YO The Hielan’

GlenDronach 12YO Original  

Glenglassaugh 30YO

SILVER OUTSTANDING

BenRiach 10YO

BenRiach Cask Strength Batch 1

BenRiach 10YO Curiositas

GlenDronach 18YO Allardice

Glenglassaugh Octaves Peated

Glenglassaugh Revival

SILVER

BenRiach Heart of Speyside

BenRiach 25YO

BenRiach Peated Quarter Casks

GlenDronach Peated

Glenglassaugh Octaves Classic 

BRONZE

BenRiach 16YO

GlenDronach 21YO Parliament

Welcome to new and improved Whisk(e)y News, fresh with a new banner, a better server, and a more professional look! Since we’re now reaching a bigger audience than ever before, we figured it was time to up our game. We’ve already had an eventful month with the arrival (and quick departure) of the Compass Box “5th & Harrison,” as well as the new Michel Couvreur whiskies, but July isn’t over yet and we’ve got a few more surprises before we launch into August and the arrival of our Scottish single casks.

Lagavulin Celebrates its 200th Anniversary!

We know you’ve been reading about the limited release of Lagavulin 8 year for months now, but California always seems to get its allocations last when it comes to major market releases. We’re happy to report we’ve finally got our allocation, albeit not much! Sink your teeth into this lovely Islay expression: Lagavulin 8 Year Old Limited Edition Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky $59.99 The 200th anniversary bottling of Lagavulin is finally here! A limited edition eight year old single malt whisky that packs all the peat, smoke, salt, and classic Islay flavor of the beloved distillery into a younger, brighter, more assertive expression. Sure to sell fast and sure to be one of the more popular whiskies we sell this year! The special edition celebrates a visit to the distillery be Alfred Banard (author of the classic “The Whisky Distilleries of Scotland”), where he recollected tasting a delicious eight year expression. There’s a lot to love with this whisky-the fruitiness on the palate, the malty mouthfeel, and the price! It’s nice to see a coveted whisky release for well under a hundred bucks.

The Return of the Orphan Barrel!

Diageo’s Orphan Barrel program is back, to the delight of many of us who like to drink old Bourbon. We’ve pleasantly surprised by the drinkability of these bottlings and the reasonable prices considering the market right now. There are plenty of 10-15 year old Bourbons selling for far more than this. Enjoy it while it lasts (which won’t be long). Orphan Barrel “Rhetoric” 22 Year Old Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey $119.99 Maxim called the Rhetoric 22-Year-Old a “top-shelf triumph,” saying, “The mash bill for Rhetoric Whiskey is 86% corn, 8% barley and 6% rye. Beginning with hints of toasted grains, cherries and oak wood, Rhetoric 22-Year-Old tastes of toasted oak and dark chocolate with ripe banana and baking spices of clove and anise, while the finish is long and woody ending with dark chocolate notes. In other words, you’ll want to sip this one slowly….” (JPS, 05/2016)

Another K&L Exclusive Barrel of Russell’s Reserve…

Our time spent with Jimmy and Eddy Russell in Kentucky a while back continues to have been well spent. We just got in another one of our single cask Wild Turkey selections and it’s a breath of fresh air-a Bourbon full of spice and life! Russell’s Reserve K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #175 Kentucky Bourbon $59.99 Everything we love about Wild Turkey Bourbon is alive and well in this 2016 release of K&L exclusive single barrel Bourbon. The sweet baking spices and bright vanilla tones on the nose carry over to the palate that pops at 55% and lifts the richness beyond just the standard toasted oak profile. There’s a flurry of cinnamon, creme brulee, and vanilla bean on the initial sip and that harmony carries through to the finish. It’s always easy to tell a bottle of Russell’s Reserve from the other Bourbons we feature for that reason. There’s a freshness to them, a certain joyfulness, and it’s alive and well in this whiskey: K&L Exclusive single barrel #175. 55% ABV

Loch Lomond Revamp

Let’s talk about Loch Lomond distillery for a minute, one of the weirdest and most mysterious distilleries in all of Scotland. David and I have driven by the facility a number of times. We’ve even pulled over and tried to peek through the gates. Loch Lomond is like the creepy haunted house on the hill on your way to Springbank. They don’t allow visitors and much of what they sell goes into weird blends. As a group, the company also owns Glen Scotia and Littlemill, although the latter is no longer in existence, and lately has decided to invest a bit more money into their operation. I have to be honest here: anyone not utilizing mature stocks of single malt whisky right now has to be crazy. Imagine my surprise when I saw that Loch Lomond was back in the states, with all new packaging, and a new line of whiskies.

Changes at Loch Lomond first started in 2014 when a new management group bought into the company and began the restructuring. Since then, they’ve released a single grain, a blended reserve, and a new single malt expression, while also revamping the Glen Scotia offerings. Loch Lomond is also a bit of an anomaly in Scotland because it’s an entirely self-sufficient distillery. They have two traditional copper pot stills, along with an additional six that have rectifying columns like what you see at distilleries like St. George. Then they have a Coffey still where they make grain whisky (like the Nikka Coffey still releases) , then they also have Lomond stills on which they make the single malt Inchmurrin. They’re like the DDL of Scotland, utilizing a number of different production methods to make a variety of different whiskies with which they can blend. Personally, I’ve always been interested in the distillery, but the quality was never there for me until recently. After having tasted through the new expressions, I was practically jumping at the chance to bring them in; namely, because they offer something we don’t see too often these days in the Scotch whisky world: VALUE!

Loch Lomond Lomond Reserve Blended Whisky $16.99 – A soft and gentle blended Scotch whisky made entirely in house with creamy barley notes and classic vanilla. This isn’t some nameless blend in a bottle, it’s a whisky made entirely at one distillery for a hot, hot price!

Loch Lomond Single Grain Whisky $27.99 – Imagine all the sweet character of the Nikka Coffey Still for less than half the price! This is loaded with caramel and candy corn, round on the palate, and soft on the finish. It’s nothing to revel in; it’s for enjoyable drinking, plain and simple.

Loch Lomond Original Single Malt Whisky $32.99 – Rich and round on the palate with classic malted barley and sweet vanilla tones. Think of this as an upgrade to Glenlivet 12. Technically a Highland, but located just outside Glasgow north of Dumbarton. Rather than continuing to build new micro-distilleries that sell more young whisky for boutique prices, it’s nice to see an older operation get refurbished and use that size and scale to bring some value back to the market. I’m very happy with what’s happened so far to Loch Lomond and I hope to see more good stuff from them down the line.

That’s it for today everyone! Until next time,

David Driscoll

K&L Spirits Buyer daviddriscoll@klwines.com

650.556.2736 http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com/

Blair Athol 27 Year Old 1988 Signatory

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

1-2 October 2016
11.30am-6.30pm
Old Billingsgate, London

TICKETS NOW ON SALE!

BUY NOW »

TICKETS RELEASED FOR FIRST MASTERCLASS:
A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO WHISKY

We’re very excited to announce that tickets for A Beginners Guide to Whisky are now on sale for Saturday and Sunday. Becky Paskin, editor of Scotchwhisky.com, will guide you through the wonderful world of whisky from the basics of production to how to taste and understand the golden nectar in your glass. It’s a must for both those new to whisky and budding enthusiasts!

BOOK SATURDAY »

BOOK SUNDAY »

NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED

We are also excited to announce that our new website has launched! Visit our new online home for a taster of what’s to come at the Whisky Show in 2016.

LEARN MORE »

This week Joe Ellis reviews Glengoyne 16 Year Old Distillery Cask Single Malt.

https://youtu.be/uciFc5PBwpg

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky wins Gold at the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2016 with 12YO

Single Malt Scotch whisky brand anCnoc is proud to announce the 12 year old from its core collection has won Gold at the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2016.

anCnoc’s 12 year old is renowned the world over as a must-have in any whisky drinkers’ collection. Soft and aromatic on the nose it has hints of anCnoc’s signature flavour notes of honey and lemon, resulting in a long smooth finish. The gentle amber colouring comes from its maturation in American oak ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso casks, which deliver a fantastic flavour profile with a surprise at each twist and turn.

Stephanie Allison, Brand Manager for anCnoc says “We’re thrilled to announce that our 12 year old has been recognised within the industry as a Gold winner at the IWSC Awards. Creating the finest whisky possible is at the heart of everything we do at anCnoc, so winning such a prestigious award within a global competition is a great way to share our achievements and reward our dedicated distillery teams for all their hard work.”

Now in its 47^th year, the International Wine & Spirit Competition aims to award excellence to wines and spirits across the world and sets the international benchmark for quality. This year, the competition received entries from over 90 countries which were judged by over 400 global experts judging products for 7 months of the year.

For further information, please visit http://www.ancnoc.com/

Proud to pioneer handcrafted whiskies of uncommon provenance, R&B Distillers, an exciting new whisky brand, launched their new premium whiskies in December 2015. Firmly ingrained in family history whilst simultaneously being a taste of the brand’s evolving future, Raasay While We Wait and Borders, two distinct and characterful whiskies, will mark a new chapter for R&B Distillers.

R&B stands for Raasay and Borders, two unique landscapes brought together through one unique whisky company. Co-founder Alasdair Day embodies this coupling. His great grandfather, Allan MacDonald, hailed from the Hebrides while his other great grandfather, Richard Day was a master-blender in the Borders in the early 19th Century. It is this history that has prompted R&B’s ongoing project to build distilleries at these twin roots in the Isle of Raasay and in the Scottish Borders.

R&B have now been granted permission by the Highland Council to bring the first legal distillery to Raasay in the Inner Hebrides, an island where illicit distilling was once rife. While the distillery is being built, R&B Distillers have released the aptly named While We Wait whisky, a preview of the calibre and flavour of whisky yet to come – every sip certain to transport the drinker to the rugged island of Raasay.

With While We Wait, R&B Distillers have crafted a single malt whisky by bringing together two expressions from one distillery: one peated, one unpeated. This precise combination is a tantalising prediction of the flavours that will be produced at the new distillery on the Isle of Rasaay, off the remote west coast of Skye. The smoky peat aroma is softened in the finishing process which occurs in French oak Tuscan red wine casks and results in a unique, lightly fruity aroma and a heather hue. In May 2016, While We Wait was awarded its first international award, a bronze medal in the International Spirits Challenge (ISC), a tremendous accolade for such a young whisky.

Meanwhile, the newly released Borders whisky echoes the soft rolling landscape of its future location in the South of Scotland. This single grain whisky is lighter and softer in flavour than the smoky peat dram of While We Wait. Matured in Bourbon casks and finished in Oloroso sherry casks, Borders has been produced to reflect a lowland style. Alasdair Day’s great-grandfather blended whisky in the Coldstream and now, over 150 years since the last distillery in the Scottish Borders, Alasdair is returning to his roots and planning to reinstate whisky in this forgotten region. Just announced, Peebles was selected by the Scottish general public as the preferred location for the new distillery.

As a precursor to the new distilleries being built, R&B Distillers also unveiled membership to their Na Tùsairean club (Scots Gaelic for ‘The Pioneers’) – an exclusive offering for whisky aficionados. The inaugural 100 casks of Raasay whisky will be bottled exclusively for Na Tùsairean members who will receive one bottle each year for ten years, gradually acquiring up a rare collection of R&B Whisky. Members will also receive miniatures so they can experience a dram of the whisky without breaking into their collector’s bottle, are entitled to the equivalent of one night’s stay per year for the duration of their membership in the luxury members accommodation.

While We Wait, priced at £56.85 and Borders priced at £49.98 will be available to buy directly from the R&B Distillers website

www.rbdistillers.com

T: 0131 564 0761 E: sales@rbdistillers.com

NOTES

RETAILERS UK:

 Master of Malt (online)

 Whiski Rooms (Edinburgh shop)

 Oban Whisky & Fine Wines (Oban)

 Shop4Whisky (online)

 JL Gill (Crieff)

 Royal Mile Whiskies (Edinburgh & online)

 Raasay Community Store (Raasay)

 Jeffrey Street Whisky & Tobacco (Edinburgh)

 The Whisky Shop (Dufftown)

 Mainstreet Trading Co. (St Boswells, Scottish Borders)

 Oblo Bar (Eyemouth, Scottish Borders)

BARS/RESTAURANTS

 Whiski Rooms (Edinburgh bar)

 Teuchters Landing (Edinburgh Leith)

 Teuchters West End (Edinburgh West End)

 Drysbrugh Abbey Hotel (Drysbrugh)

 Raasay House Hotel (Raasay)

 Sconser Lodge (Skye)

TASTING NOTES:

‘While We Wait’

Aroma: Surprisingly very little smoke on the nose but instead light fruity notes come through.

Colour: Natural colour, heather tinted imparted from Tuscan red wine oak casks.

Taste: Instantly there is peat smoke and spice (a distant campfire, black pepper, liquorice, oak and then the sea breeze) slowly this is balanced with the dry fruit from the Tuscan red wine casks (black currant, blackberry, raspberry and cherries).

Finish: A long lingering finish.

Food Pairings: Pairs well with Sconser Scallops, Smoked Salmon, game, grouse, woodcock, venison, creamy blue cheese, bacon, haggis.

ABV: 46% Non-Chill Filtered

Year released: November 2015 – 1st Release Limited Edition

‘Borders’

Aroma: Prominent sherry notes on the nose, hints of sugar-coated nuts.

Colour: Natural colour, lightly golden taken from sherry finishing casks.

Taste: Surprisingly dry on the palate with the sherry influences dominating. Walnuts balanced with vanilla, herbaceous and floral notes coming through towards the end, and just a touch of warm spice.

Finish: Lingering, dry and complex.

Food Pairings: Pairs well with Cocoa Black dark praline chocolates.

ABV: 51.7% Non-Chill Filtered

Year released: November 2015 – 1st Release Limited Edition

Couvreur – A K&L Direct Import Feature

Just outside the town of Beaune – the spiritual capital of Burgundy – is the sleepy hamlet of Bouze-les-Beaune: a collection of old stone dwellings that looks much like every other small village in the area. As you make your way there, through the well-known communes of Pernand-Vergelesses and Aloxe-Corton, you see signs pointing the direction to every producer in the area. Burgundy is one of the most highly-regarded wine regions in the world, if not the most. Yet, amidst the rolling hills of chardonnay and pinot noir vines sits one of the most unsuspecting collections of Scottish single malt in existence; a veritable treasure trove of mature whisky aging in top-quality sherry casks. If you can find the unmarked home, adorned barely with an address, you’ll likely be invited inside. The parlor is very unassuming. It seems like nothing more than a rustic French home – a classic milieu for the many winemakers in the region.

Not many Americans have heard of Michel Couvreur, and even fewer know that he passed away a few years back after more than five decades in the whisky world. Within the booze business, however, he’s a bit of a legend. A Belgian-born wine lover who moved to Burgundy for the wine trade, yet vacationed in Scotland where he developed a taste for sherry-aged single malt. Believing he could possibly improve upon the quality of his beloved whiskies, he built an expansive cellar beneath his house and travelled through Jerez in search of the finest old sherry butts. He then contracted new-make spirit from his favorite Scottish distilleries and aged the whisky in his own private cave.

Michel Couvreur K&L Exclusive Overaged Peated Malt Whisky (750ml) ($82.99)

The chance to work with Michel Couvreur on a special K&L whisky project was something that David and I had been dreaming of for years. We had heard the stories. This crazy Belgian had moved to Burgundy in the 60s, carved out a wine cellar inside a mountain, only to fill it with Scottish single malt whisky instead of pinot noir. He set up camp in Beaune, ordered new-make spirit to be delivered by tanker, and drove down to Jerez himself; selecting his own sherry butts to insure only the finest quality casks for his contracted spirit. Unfortunately, Michel Couvreur passed away in 2013 from pancreatic cancer, thus ending the career of one of the industry’s most courageous pioneers. Luckily for us, however, apprentice Jean-Arnaud has carried on after studying under Michel for more than a decade. When we visited the underground cave, we were all in total awe. The tunnels of dripping stone go on forever, and the amount of whisky stored in this secret lair is jawdropping. We put our trust completely in Jean-Arnaud and are happy we did. Our peated version of the incredible sherry expression is a seamless creation that drinks like the best version of Johnnie Black ever, mixed with the most supple and soft expressions of Macallan. It’s a lush, unfiltered, creamy, caramel-laden dream of a whisky composed only of malts 12 years and older. There’s a bit of peat on the finish, but the soft sherry is the star. (NOTE: do NOT cut the hard wax seal, tap it so that it breaks)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: October 14, 2014

The magnificence that is Michel Couvreur has always been clear, but it wasn’t until we stepped into the special cave, carved out of the rock, in Bouze-Les-Beaune that you can full appreciate the incredible endeavor in process at this fine producer. While this is by definition NOT scotch, because it is aged outside of the country, the old school practices utilized at here are unusual back in Scotland. The fact that these guys literally drive to Jerez to pick out fresh sherry casks (from Equipos Navazos no less) is totally unique in modern times. In fact, no producer of malt whisky is getting access to fresher barrels than these guys. Despite not being able to use the famous moniker, does not preclude this from being one of the most authentic and absolutely delicious malts on the market. Stupendous depth and complexity even at 86 proof, while the sherry is toned down from the standard version a subtle fino/amontillado quality exists in the back ground. This is pointed by a fabulous smokey sweetness, which hints at the source whisky. Maybe an island somewhere, maybe a drop of Islay, wildly high-quality Highland whisky with a French sensibility. A truly unique gem.

Jean-Arnaud Frantzen has been working at Michel Couvreur for eighteen years and he couldn’t be happier. He adores single malt whisky and its potential for greatness when you have respect for its process. He’s carried on in Michel’s absence and continues to build relationships in Spain where he travels frequently in search of the finest barrels. Unlike Scottish producers, he drives the butts back himself so that they are as fresh as possible, thereby eliminating the need for sulfur and inoculation. Couvreur has always been just as interested in the sherry itself, rather than just the whisky that was aged inside its former receptacle. “Every wine has its own story and each cask is different,” Jean-Arnaud said. “We prefer to only use old casks, in which the sherry has sat for thirty to forty years.” Because of the Scotch Whisky Association’s strict rules about single malt classification and labelling, Couvreur has always had a difficult time calling itself what it is: Scottish single malt whisky (or sometimes blended single malt whisky) aged in France. Today, many of the labels simply say “malt whisky” without any other designation. While the industry has sought to protect itself (and consumers) from imitators and frauds looking to capitalize on Scotch whisky’s reputation, Couvreur is not a threat. In fact, his whiskies are so good and so innovative that they serve as inspiration for many of Scotland’s best producers. Because the cellar is located in the heart of French wine country, Jean-Arnaud and his team treat whisky like French wine – they’re looking for nuance and delicacy, not big alcohol and power.

While there we let Jean-Arnaud know we were looking to do a custom cuvee with Michel Couvreur, something rich and supple on the palate, but with peat. Within a few months we had a real winner on our hands: the “Overaged” Peated malt whisky, a marriage of single malts all over the age of twelve. The whisky has been so popular over the last few years that we’re now on our third batch and, personally, it’s my favorite by far. The sherry flavor is bright and fruity rather than savory, and the peat smoke is oily and phenolic, like something in between Lagavulin and Bunnahabhain. It’s simply tremendous stuff. This year we decided to add a customized blend of the decadent “Blossoming Auld Sherried” malt whisky, a a recreation of the legendary malt whiskies of the Victorian Era – a time when Sherry and Scotch were both kept on hand in the cellars of England and Scotland’s great estates and drawn for consumption as needed. Matured in one single butt of the freshest possible Montila Morales casks, this whisky is redolant of that great wine of Jerez in a way that’s simply not available in modern bottlings. This ultra saturated butt from a solera started in the 1950s at Toro Albala is one of a kind and Couvreur is the only producer allowed to buy from the venerable Bodega. Getting to work directly now with the estate is a huge win for us and for serious fans of sherry-aged single malt who shop with K&L. Working directly now, we’ve been able to negotiate pricing that makes these whiskies even more attractive to consumers in the know. If you’re a fan of smooth, rich, supple, and complex malt whiskies, then you owe it to yourself to try one of these royal blends. In the world of sherry-aged Scotch, Michel Couvreur is king. – David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer

Michel Couvreur K&L Exclusive “Blossoming Auld Sherried” Malt Whisky (750ml) ($219.99)

Michel Couvreur established his business selling Burgundy wines in the early 1950s in Scotland. In 1978, French friends suggested that he add a top quality Scotch to his portfolio, which began Couvreur’s interest in the whisky industry. He believes that the oak whisky is aged in has an outsized influence on the character of the finished product. He also strongly prefers Sherry casks for the maturation process, and has gone to great lengths to source what he believes are the finest casks from Andalusia. The Blossoming Auld Sherry is a recreation of the legendary malt whiskies of the Victorian Era. An era when Sherry and Scotch were both kept on hand in the cellars of England and Scotland’s great estates and drawn for consumption as needed. Matured in one single butt of the freshest possible Montila Morales casks, this whisky is redolant of that great wine of Jerez in a way that’s simply not available in modern bottlings. This ultra saturated butt from a solera started in the 1950s at Toro Albala is one of a kind. Couvreur is the only producer able to buy from the venerable Bodega and they receive the choicest butts delivered still wet to the cellars in Burgundy. The casks was kept in medium humidity for the majority of it’s maturation before being moved to the wettest part of Couvreur’s cellar where extractive atmosphere is at a maximum. Age is inconsequential in terms of the quality here, but it is indeed older than all but the most expensive of Couveur’s offerings. A Triumph.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 22, 2016

The first time I tasted the Blossoming Auld Sherry was at a wonderful little bistro in Levernois outside of Beaune called Du Bord De L’Eau. After a wonderful meal at this exceptional casual restaurant, the director of Couvreur Jean Arnauld suggested we finish the night with a taste of something special from his exceptional collection. We could have taken the exceptionally expensive vintage offerings, but he recommended this special little treat. From the moment I put my nose to the glass I was transfixed. Of course, I know Couvreur’s style and what to expect, but this was unlike anything I’d yet come across. It was truly like diving head first into the finest Sherry, but at 90 proof!!! The nose exhibits an intoxicating bouquet of plum preserves, old exotic wood, fresh leather, tobacco and the intricately carved wooden pipe to pack it. The palate is SO smooth. When someone says they like something “smooth,” it’s such a vague notion, and difficult quality to guarantee in a product, but THIS is what they’re talking about. The density of the fruit remains on the palate, but it’s pointed with wonderful dried citrus and sweet herbal notes. This is the real deal, and while not inexpensive, it out-performs its price point by a mile and then some. Imagine having a bottle of sherry that never goes bad, which you can sip by the ounce and clocks in at 45%! You’d never stop, so you know, you shouldn’t. We’re the exclusive source for this product in California and will likely buy the entire US allocation of 20 cases.

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 20, 2016

While the Blossoming label is not a custom one like the peated blend we make with Couvreur, this particular batch of the Blossoming Auld Sherried was bottled specifically for us and shipped as part of our exclusive order. It is utterly divine. It is the softest, smoothest, more concentrated sherry-aged whisky on the shelf by far. Its like the sherry and the whisky have fused to become one perfect entity. As we know from our visit, Couvreurs specialty is sherry. They select their own butts from Jerez personally and have connections going back to the 1960s. The result of that sherry is on display here.