NEW FUKANO EDITIONS

As the Fukano brand continues to develop, the whiskies from the Kumamoto Prefecture are not only getting more precise in their balance and concentration of flavor, but they’re also getting older. We’ve got our first ever Fukano single barrel with an age statement -12 years old – as well as another sensational sherry cask that should make sweet Oloroso-chasers very happy. Both are distilled from rice as is the case with all the Fukano editions. I thought both made welcome additions to our Japanese spirits shelf.

Fukano “Sherry Cask” Japanese Whisky (750ml) – $89.99 – Fukano’s rice whiskies continue to populate our shelves here at K&L and the latest Sherry Cask release gives Oloroso fans heaps of what they love: rich, saturated, sweet sherry goodness with a textural mouthfeel and plenty of raisined richness on the finish. While the rice component of the spirit gets lost under all that decadence, fans of the genre won’t care. It’s a perfect vehicle for those who love opulence!

Fukano 12 Year Old Single Cask Japanese Whisky (750ml) – $99.99 – Fukano’s first rice whisky with an age statement is another impressive addition to a lineup that has been a big success thus far at K&L. Full of oak flavor and plenty of vanilla from the extended time in wood, this doesn’t have the sweetness or the extra heft that some of Fukano sherry matured editions have exhibited, but the balance is much more in line with what one would expect from a classic malt whisky. It’s another fun and curious look into the future of rice spirits from Japan.

OUR LIMITED BARDSTOWN BOURBON COMPANY COLLABOR&TION ALLOCATION ARRIVES!

Just wanted to add a quick note for those of you who pre-ordered: your bottles are now available but you may need to contact the store to have your bottles shipped or moved to the store of your choice for pick-up. Because we use the pre-order service mostly for wine, we don’t automatically ship out bottles that are purchased in advance due to weather, etc. You can email me if you need help with that.

In the meantime, these babies are now here and they’re ready to rock!! There’s only about 200 bottles of each, so when they’re gone they’re gone. I’m hoping we can stretch our inventory into November so that we can at least offer these as holiday gift options, but I’m not sure that will happen. The bottles are impressive, as is the whiskey inside them, so I’m not holding my breath on that front. I was just tasting them again this morning and I can’t decide which one I like more. At first, I was definitely all about the American Brandy Barrel finish, simply because I liked how it didn’t alter the traditional flavors of classic vanilla, charred oak, and sweet spices, but rather lifted them and brought them to the surface. The bold proof only accents all of that intensity and the whiskey tastes expensive. But after a few more runs with the Mistelle finish, I’m starting to waver in my support. For those of you who have no idea what the “Mistelle” is, it’s a liqueur made by Joe Heron at Copper & Kings that uses orange peels and coriander, so it almost adds a candied finish to the whiskey. It’s completely decadent on the finish, but I started to imagine drinking it on a cold winter evening after a long day at the office. It’s easily the more unique of the two, so you have to ask yourself: what do I need? More great Bourbon that tastes like great Bourbon, or maybe something sweeter and richer for the coming Fall and Winter seasons that doesn’t taste like everything else I already have?

Maybe one of each? Tough to say. You won’t be sorry either way:

Bardstown Bourbon Company “Collabor&tion – Brandy Barrel Finish” Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) – $124.99 – The Collaboration series is the first release of whiskey from Kentucky’s soon-to-be star Bardstown Bourbon Company, a project done in “collaboration” with Louisville brandy specialists Copper & Kings. Using 10 year old stocks of Bourbon distilled at MGP in Indiana, BBCo finished each of the whiskies for an additional 18 months in two different types of casks: American brandy and Muscat Mistelle. Made from 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley, the Collabor&tion expression aged in Copper & Kings American brandy barrels is bottled at cask strength of 113 proof and offers classic, yet bold Bourbon flavor with vanilla, oak spices, and a concentrated richness that speaks to the age of the whiskey. We tasted this on our initial visit to the distillery this past summer and instantly fell in love with the additional fruit and subtle sweetness added from the brandy barrel finishing. It has all the classic flavors of great Bourbon but with extra lift and roundness on the finish. In the spirit of collaboration, the teams at BBCo and Copper & Kings really knocked this one out of the park.

Bardstown Bourbon Company “Collabor&tion – Mistelle Barrel Finish” Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) – $124.99 – Made from 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley, the Collabor&tion expression aged in Mistelle barrels has an incredible viscosity and chewiness to its texture from the time spent in the used casks. Mistelle is unfermented grape juice (in this case Muscat) fortified with un-aged brandy (Muscat eau-de-vie) and then aged in bourbon barrels for 18 months. The empty barrels are deeply and highly caramelized with the grape sugars and fruit essences and the Collabor&tion whiskey aged in these barrels is pure joy. It’s a completely novel sensory experience; deeply concentrated, rich whiskey that has a supple, fruity, and absolutely delicious finish. It’s both an incredibly unique and divine tasting experience. Bottled at 47% cask strength ABV.