Carlo Coppola Appointed Global Leader of the James B. Beam Distilling Co. Brand House

Hailing from the village of Scadabay on the east coast of Harris, Domhnall Macleod wasn’t always interested in the making of ‘uisge beatha’ and in fact spent most of his working life as a builder.

Starting as one of our original Tarbert Ten in 2015, with the help of expert training and many long days he quickly learnt to master the art of producing the spirit that flows from our stills.

Domhnall tells us of his homeland…

“Home is where we’re from. It has that ancestral connection, there’s no place quite like it.”

One of the ultimate aims of the distillery has been to provide secure employment and to continue island traditions, something which Domhnall is proud to be a part of…

LEARN ABOUT OUR WHISKY

Bruichladdich 2009 12yo Israel Cabernet Sauvignon Cask #1549

An ongoing exploratory series of single casks, specifically selected to examine the evolutionary influences on maturing Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky – the variables of age, wood, barley, storage location, humidity, heat and marine climate – the very essence of provenance.

Vintage: 1st May 2009
Aged for 12 Years
Barley type: Appaloosa
Cask type: Israel Cabernet Sauvignon
Cask no: 1549
Bottled 1st March 2022
One of only 276 bottles produced from a single cask.

Exclusive Aqua crew bottling

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A Brilliant Collectible: Inspired Bourbon with K&L & SF Roots
Rare Character 6 Year Old “Bay Bridge” Barrel #RIO-254 Cask Strength Indiana Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($79.99)
“There are two really important things to note about this Bourbon. First, it tastes delicious. The second is that it offers an incredible way to highlight the hidden talents of our crew at K&L.”
— Andrew Whiteley, K&L Spirits Buyer

Rare Character has taken some incredible MGP distillate and raised it up entirely in the famous brick warehouse at Castle & Key in Kentucky. Pablo Moix seems to have the golden touch, and as K&L Spirits Buyer David Othenin-Girard says, he’s “identified extremely special stocks and curates each barrel” and that they are “some of the most exciting stocks around.” At 6 years old, this cask is absolutely singing. We are also thrilled that we were able to design the label, which features the incredible artwork of K&L’s very own Abraham Ortega (AB as he is known to K&Lers). AB’s stunning photography offers a unique perspective on Bay Area living as seen from unique vantage points and his artistic framing. Check out more of his take on all things beautiful around the Bay Area and farther afield on Instagram @417am___. Add these together with the fact that there are only a few hundred bottles of this exclusive bottling, and you’ve got a surefire collector’s item

Rare Character 6 Year Old “Bay Bridge” Barrel #RIO-254 Cask Strength Indiana Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($79.99)

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 21, 2022

There are two really important things to note about this Bourbon. First, it tastes delicious. The second is that it offers an incredible way to highlight the hidden talents of our crew at K&L. Let’s talk whisky first—this 6-year-old pours brilliant red copper in color. At 56.43% it jumps out of the glass. The nose is cherry syrup, vanilla, candied apples, spicy cinnamon, and a complex oak varnish. The palate is rich and full offering burnt sugar, dark chocolates, cherry jam, and a touch of herbal goodness. The finish is medium and fresh. For all the sticky character of the flavor, it doesn’t cling to the palate forever, but lets you go feeling like you want to keep going back. Now, the part I really want to highlight: Abraham Ortega. K&L employs nearly 150 people across the state and anyone who shops with us knows that it’s those people and their passion who make this place special. Most of our customers only get to interact with our wonderful sales and customer service staff when they talk wine or booze. But we’ve got such a diverse set of talents across the board and in every role at the company.

When Rare Character offered us the opportunity to put our own art on the labels and give it a regional focus I immediately thought of this image. AB has been working on our Redwood City store operations team for 5 years where he is a core part of all of our logistics, but especially our receiving team. I was struck by this background image on his desktop a year or two ago and asked him about it. I was impressed to learn he had taken it and that he’d be doing serious photography for over a decade. His unique take on the San Francisco skyline and work it must have taken to capture the image stuck with me. Fast forward to our labeling needs and I reached out to see if he had any interest in using that for our barrel. Thankfully he said yes! We got it proofed up and thought it was amazing. If you’re as compelled by his art as we are, check him out @417am___ (that’s 3 underscores). It’s an incredible collection of original photography, editing, drone work, and fresh beats from a creative mind and critical part of our team at K&L.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 20, 2022

The stupendous Rare Character brand has taken the bourbon world by storm. The industries preeminent whiskey detective, Pablo Moix, has manage to ferret out some of the most exciting stocks around. On paper they might look just like the barrels offered by his many competitors, but Pablo isn’t just putting lipstick on a pig. He’s identified extremely special stocks and curates each barrel. We also happen to have a special relationship with this up-and-coming purveyor and that’s meant we’re getting first dibs on some of the choicest casks. This barrel comes from the same stocks that we selected last year, which have matured for half a decade in the famous old warehouse at the Old Taylor Distillery now called Castle & Key. This awesome super long warehouse is basically a whiskey wind tunnel. The contrast from the MGP warehouses in Lawrenceburg couldn’t be starker. Those old concrete warehouses remain extremely consistent temperature-wise, but the window clad brick warehouse at C&K is much more reactive. The resulting whiskies see significantly more barrel influence than stocks that spent a similar amount of time in Indiana. Even just a year difference, from the first barrel we selected to this one, offers a distinct experience. Let’s have a look. The color is a gorgeous burnt amber. The nose a absolutely gorgeous filled with grade B maple syrup (AKA Grade A Very Dark, AKA the good stuff), Ceylon cinnamon, caramel apples, roasted clove and salted candied pecan. Unctuous and rich on the palate, demerara sugar melting, ripe plum, dense wood spice, toasted vanilla, hints of sarsaparilla, subtle herbal underbrush and sweet mint. This is dynamite bourbon of the highest order. I still can’t get over the label too. For anyone who dares pooh-pooh MGP, this is the whiskey to change your mind. Of course, it ain’t no regular old Indiana bourbon. I’m starting to wonder if anything in this warehouse for more than five years might turn to gold.

Fettercairn 12 Year Old
+ free glass with purchase!

Fettercairn is one of the most exciting emerging single malt brands of the moment, with an experimental style and striking bottle. Pure water and unique stills help contribute to an extremely fruity and tropical style of whisky. While stocks last, pick up a free branded neat glass with every purchase.

Discover Fettercairn →

Fettercairn 12 Year Old
+ free glass with purchase!

This expression from Fettercairn in the Highlands is aged for its full maturation term in ex-bourbon oak casks and bottled at 40% abv. The characteristic distillery tropical-style spirit shines through alongside notes of nectarines, coffee, cloves and fresh ginger.

£44.50
BUY NOW

https://youtu.be/DYx-xNHWJVA

A new kid on the block in the world of Irish single malts, Dingle!

Opened in 2012, and having released a string of cask releases and limited edition bottles, the official single malt launched last year, sad to say that it’s taken me so long to review it.

Mastered now by Graham Coull, formerly of Glen Moray. The house style of Dingle is now on show for the world to witness. A warm and fruit driven style of whiskey, bottled with all the plus points that drinkers are looking for in newer releases and distilleries these days.

Here’s to the future of Dingle!

Limestone Branch Master Distiller Stephen Beam announces 2022 Yellowstone® Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Latest expression offers a delicately balanced blend of 7-year, 15-year and 16-year aged bourbons, finished in Marsala Superiore casks

St. LOUIS (July 18, 2022) – Limestone Branch Distillery Master Distiller Stephen Beam announced the upcoming release of 2022 Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Featuring a delicately balanced blend of 7-year, 15-year and 16-year aged bourbons hand-selected by Beam and aged in Marsala Superiore casks, the latest expression of Yellowstone Limited Edition will begin to be available in September with a suggested retail price of $99.99 per 750ml bottle.

Since 2015, Beam has produced a unique, limited-edition bourbon annually under the Yellowstone brand, which celebrates its 150^th anniversary in 2022, along with its namesake national park. For this year’s Yellowstone Limited Edition, Beam selected Marsala Superiore casks to finish select barrels of 7-year-old-bourbon to provide unique tasting notes to complement the extra-aged bourbons comprising this year’s Limited Edition.

Marsala Superiore is a dry, sweet wine produced near the Italian city of Marsala in Sicily and aged at least two years. A fortified wine similar to Sherry, Marsala imparts tangy flavors of dried fruit and citrus and is often used in cooking or served as a dessert wine.

“I’ve been experimenting with different finishes for the Yellowstone Limited Edition bourbons, and I really fell in love with the impact the Marsala Superiore cask finish has on the overall taste profile of the bourbon,” said Beam. “Consumers can expect an aroma of dried apricots and honey with hints of tobacco; a body that contains dark-brown sugar notes, mixed with dried fruit, walnut and dates, with a hint of vanilla; followed by a lingering finish with hints of palm sugar and tamarind. It’s certain to become a new fan favorite.”

The 2022 Yellowstone Limited Edition Is bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV) and sold in custom-designed bottles featuring embossing, a high-end natural cork and a label featuring the 2022 Yellowstone Limited Edition emblem. Beginning in September, the full allocation of 10,000 cases (3 bottles per case) will be available at retail locations nationwide.

“We’ve had a lot to celebrate in 2022, including the launch of Yellowstone Family Recipe and the 150^th anniversary of the Yellowstone brand,” said Caitlin Palmieri Jackson, brand manager for Limestone Branch Distillery. “Our 2022 Yellowstone Limited Edition expression is the latest achievement to celebrate this year as the brand family continues to grow, both in terms of overall popularity and varietals offered.”

About Limestone Branch Distillery

Stephen Beam and his brother Paul Beam opened Limestone Branch Distillery in 2011, with the goal of crafting the finest spirits in small batches. With a history of distilling on both sides of their family – Beam and Dant – the brothers are seventh-generation distillers. In 2015, they brought the Yellowstone brand back to the family. The distillery is now home to Yellowstone Select, Yellowstone Limited Edition, and Minor Case Rye Whiskey, as well as the newest addition, Bowling & Burch Gin. For more information on Limestone Branch Distillery and Yellowstone, please visit www.limestonebranch.com, www.yellowstonebourbon.com or www.facebook.com/limestone-branch-distillery.

Open for entries – Are you ready?

Enter The Scottish Whisky Awards by Wednesday 17^th August! You can now register online and submit your written entries for the fourth annual Scottish Whisky Awards.  Applicants are invited to submit entries in both business and taste categories, showcasing their key successes in 2022.

Our panel of international whisky experts are looking forward to gathering in Edinburgh next month to judge entries, during our extensive blind tasting sessions. For information and advice on written entries, or queries relating to product delivery, please refer to the Entry Guide or contact sophie@kdmedia.co.uk / 0131 337 6232.

Entry Deadline 
17 August 2022

Product delivery dates 
15 August – 17 August 2022

Awards event 
30 November 2022 (St Andrews Day)
The Edinburgh International Conference

Enter Now

2 Great Bottles now open to Ballot Entries

Our Ballots are now open for both these fantastic releases.

HOLD ON!!

Both Ballots are open until 9.30am on Friday, 29th July so please read the updated rules of entry.

You must be signed up to our Loyalty Scheme to Enter

Entry to the Ballot is only accessible by redeeming Loyalty Points

Each Ballot entry is 20 points

These points are NON-REFUNDABLE, and entries are only restricted by the number of points that you have

Please note that purchases take 10 days to transfer into points, therefore new purchases will not earn points for this ballot

You can earn points via other means – full details are available via our Loyalty Page

We only have four bottles of GlenAllachie and six Bottles of Daftmill available for the Ballot

GlenAllachie Billy Walker 50th Anniversary Present Edition
16 Year Old

£280.00

Bottle Notes:

This sophisticated and rare single malt represents Billy’s present, where he is avidly implementing an incredibly innovative cask management policy. Mizunara is a very scarce and expensive species of Japanese oak seldom used for whisky maturation. It’s a tricky oak to cooper due to its inclination to leak as well as its tendency to twist as it grows, posing a challenge for stave production. This means the trees must grow to be around 200 years old before being felled; twice the age of most oaks used for casks. After a complex two-step maturation journey in Sherry and Mizunara casks, the subsequent liquid is abundant with toasted nuts, stem ginger, grilled banana and coconut shavings.

Daftmill 15 Year Old Cask Strength

£165.00

Bottle Notes:

Daftmill 15-year-old Cask Strength has been assembled from a relatively large batch of 28 first fill ex-bourbon barrels filled in 2006 – only a year after production began at the distillery, and the same vintage as the first Daftmill Summer/Winter releases and single cask bottlings that electrified the whisky world in 2018-19.

Cask Type: 1st Fill Bourbon

Distilled: 2006 Bottled: 2022

Limited: 5340 Bottles

55.7% ABV

View Ballots

NEW LIMITED RELEASES

Glenrothes 2007 

14 Years Old 

NOSE: Vanilla pod with stewed raisin and cocoa powder.

PALATE: Fruitcake with forest fruit and charred oak.

FINISH: Medium bodied with summer berries and spice.    Only 323 bottles were produced.

£113.99

Ledaig 2001 

20 Years Old 

NOSE: Bright apple and autumnal spice.

PALATE: Brown sugar with stewed red fruit, followed by cocoa powder and orange zest.

FINISH: Spicy and smoky with aniseed and toffee.     Only 498 bottles were produced.

£150.00

Pulteney 1998 

23 Years Old 

NOSE: Grapefruit and melon.

PALATE: Baked apples with freshly cut grass, honey and banana, balanced with cracked black pepper.

FINISH: Full with mixed nuts.    Only 243 bottles were produced.

£195.00