Unbeatable Deal on an Aged K&L Exclusive Cask – Scotch Whisky News
K&L Exclusive: Unbeatable Pricing on a Sublime, Age-Stated Scotch
1997 Hector Macbeth (Glenfiddich) 23 Year Old “Hepburn’s Choice” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel
Cask Strength Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($129.99)
In yet one more stroke of inspired wheeling and dealing, our spirits buyers have managed to secure another rare cask of sublime, aged malt from the much-beloved Hector Macbeth label. This 23 Year Old follows in the footsteps of other stupendous offers from this bottler and is a slightly deeper and richer expression of the same incredible Glenfiddich juice that made up the previous bottlings. For our Scotch aficionados who got in on those whiskies while supplies lasted, they know just what’s in store for them here. While you’d expect to splash out a couple hundred dollars (at least) for such an age-stated single malt bottling under the marquee label for which it was originally distilled, you can get your hands on the same spirit for just over the century mark from Hector Macbeth. Countless whisky fans have discovered the joy (and incredible bargains) that these “teaspooned” malts bring to the table, and this one is no different. We’ve taken in a painfully small quantity, so anyone looking to score a well-aged Scotch at a steal needs to act with utmost urgency before supplies disappear.
*This item is expected to arrive for pickup or delivery by late summer 2021
We’ve had a consistent run of excellent casks under the Hector Macbeth brand over the last few years. This lot of ’97 teaspooned hogsheads from the Glenfiddich distillery have been consistently exceptional. Many people loved last year’s expression, which had spent over three years in an old sherry barrel, but others missed the purity and malty complexity of the unadulterated Wardhead that we’d bottled each of the previous two campaigns. Those whiskies, sold to our bottler under the Wardhead brand, were all distilled in February of 1997 and declassified by the distiller to be sold off to blenders. The Scotch industry is full of these unusual quirks and part of the industry’s charm is the complicated relationships between various distillers, blenders and bottlers. In the end, even a great brand like Glenfiddich, the world’s best selling single malt, needs occasionally to generate cash flow in the moment. That’s why they’re willing to sell off tankers of their prized spirit under a different name, but we don’t really care what it’s called or that it’s listed as blended malt. All that matters to us is that it’s absolutely delicious. This bottling has a similar profile to previous casks in this lot, but here with more depth and richness. Expect orchard fruit, sweet malt, honeysuckle and pink peppercorn. Delicious and complex with a vivid delineated fruit that seems to be a hallmark of these gorgeous old ‘Fiddichs.
