WIN 1 of 4 sets of Noble Rebel!

To celebrate Spring, we have a wonderful prize up for grabs. Noble Rebel is fabulous new range of blended malts from Loch Lomond, each highlighting a key flavour profile in whisky. We will select four lucky winners to each take home a set of 3 bottles, when purchasing a bottle from our selected Spring Drams range from now until the 1st of May. Best of luck!

Full ‘Spring Drams’ Range →

Spring Drams

Win with Noble Rebel

We have selected the very best sweet and floral whiskies for you to peruse for, after all, spring has definitely sprung! Indulge in a delightful dram to complement all of those daffodils, tulips and daisies sprouting across the land.

To celebrate, we have a wonderful prize up for grabs. Noble Rebel is fabulous new range of blended malts from Loch Lomond Distillery, each highlighting a key flavour profile in Scotch whisky. We will select four lucky winners to take home all three, when purchasing a sweet and floral whisky from this selection by the 1st of May.

Bruichladdich Classic Laddie

Jim McEwan originally crafted this single malt whisky to showcase the floral and elegant style of the distillery. Unpeated, it has become Bruichladdich’s signature bottling.

NOSE: Opening with barley sugar and a hint of mint before leading into the most wonderful notes of freshly cut wild flowers; buttercup, daisy, meadowsweet, myrtle, primrose and cherry blossom. The cleanliness of the spirit is remarkable.

PALATE: The fruits from distillation drift in on an Atlantic breeze and pop on the tongue like champagne bubbles. Finally, combining ripe green fruit, brown sugar, and sweet malt brings closure.

£44.99

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ralfy review 973 Extras – Using our brain to smell & taste.

MAC-TALLA SET TO LAUNCH NEW EXPRESSION AT FÈIS ÌLE 2023 

Mac-Talla Limited Edition: Pedro Ximénez Fèis Ìle 2023 

will be unveiled at the festival in May  

April 2023, Aberargie, Scotland – Mac-Talla PX has been announced as the second limited edition release from the Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky brand. Building on their core range of Islay whiskies, each expression further demonstrates the diversity of the iconic island, featuring specially selected cask types and maturation styles, all with exceptional liquid quality.

For this year’s release, the team have selected 26 exceptional casks of Islay Single Malt, with the influence of PX Sherry Casks bringing a rich, fruity sweetness, as well as structure and depth to this smoky Islay malt. It will be launched on Islay during Fèis Ìle—Islay’s iconic festival celebrating the island’s whisky and heritage—as an official festival bottling and available in the UK from 1^stJune.

The bottling will be officially launched as part of a program of events at Fèis Ìle 2023, starting with a ‘Journey of Taste’ Whisky Dinner on 30^thMay at the Machrie Luxury Hotel and Golf Links, and ending with a festival day at the Machrie on 1^stJune with live music, games and a BBQ.

The Mac-Talla range aims to take the drinker on a taste journey across Islay, demonstrating the multiple dimensions of flavour that come from this legendary whisky island. Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers have a long history and connection with Islay which spans 4 generations of whisky brokers, bottlers, blenders and distillers, with the Morrison family owning and running Bowmore Distillery for many years.

Douglas Crawford, Managing Director, Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, said: ‘Launching Mac-Talla PX as a limited edition Fèis Ìle bottling on Islay is a very special event for Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers. Our company’s close ties with Islay continue and we are proud to represent the high-quality output of Islay’s distilleries with our Mac-Talla range.’  

Mac-Talla Pedro Ximénez Fèis Ìle 2023 is a complex whisky with the perfect balance of jammy sweetness and peat. A sweet, smoky symphony of burnt toffee, stewed berries and maritime smoke.

Niel Hendriksz, Sales Director, Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, said: ‘We are thrilled with the results of PX maturation on this smoky Islay Single Malt. The sweetness of the PX settles the peat, adding structure and depth, resulting in a deliciously complex balance between fruity, jammy notes and smoke.’

Tasting notes: 

Mac-Talla Limited Edition: Pedro Ximénez Fèis Ìle 2023 

RRP: £72

Sumptuous PX Sherry Wood, rich with the flavours of the luxurious grape of Southern Spain, picked at the peak of sweetness & natural acidity. Creating a complex whisky with the perfect balance of jammy sweetness and peat. A sweet, smoky symphony of burnt toffee, stewed berries and maritime smoke.

Colour: deep copper

Nose: maritime smoke, burnt toffee, stewed berries, bonfire, dates, rum and raisin, orange marmalade

54.6% ABV   

Mac-Talla will launch their new limited edition with a series of events taking place during the Islay festival. The‘Journey of Taste’ Whisky Dinner is now sold out, however there are still tickets available for the Mac-Talla Festival Day at the Machrie here.

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers is solely owned and operated by one of Scotland’s oldest and most prominent whisky families, Jamie and Brian Morrison. There has been over five generations of the Morrison family involved in the whisky business including grocers, brokers, blenders, bottlers and distillers, making them one of Scotland’s oldest whisky families.

Their heritage gives them access to a wide variety of unique and exceptional casks from pedigree distilleries across Scotland. Their family’s values are run through everything they do and they proudly showcase these underneath each of their bottles reiterating their commitment to Patience, Intuition and Integrity.

In every whisky they release, they are committed to continue to impart the knowledge that has been passed down from generations of family whisky makers. Our chairman’s great-grandfather, William Walker, one of the pre-eminent whisky brokers of his era, worked closely with various distilleries on the island, even advocating on behalf of the Islay whisky trade to American businesses on the repeal of US prohibition in 1933.

Walker grew very fond of Islay, where he eventually purchased a home, and played an integral part in developing transport, trade and marketing of the Island’s produce.  His philanthropic nature was deeply appreciated by Islay residents – with the Glasgow Islay Association (of which he was a life member and chairman) noting in 1934 “In the Island itself, he has closely identified himself with every cause worthy of support”.

In 1963 a chance lunchtime encounter at a Glasgow restaurant led to Stanley P Morrison, the son-in-law of William Walker, purchasing of Islay’s oldest distillery — Bowmore (established in 1779) — that evening. Morrison Bowmore Distillers was created and emerged as a globally-recognised brand of quality Single Malt Scotch Whisky, producing a characterful spirit with some legendary bottlings. Morrison Bowmore Distillers was acquired by Suntory in 1994.

To find out more about Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers visit www.morrisondistillers.com or for MacTalla visit www.mactallawhisky.com

Stunning Single-Malt Rarities from a New Independent Bottler
“Rites Of Passage, while just delivering their first releases to the U.S., will surely be a household name in no time if the quality of their casks are all this high.”
— Andrew Whiteley, K&L Spirits Buyer

We just secured a unique opportunity on a set of limited-release Scotch gems that have all the ingredients of instant best sellers. The crown jewel is an iconic 30 Year Old Bunnahabhain, but we’re already seeing a run on a sneaky good Mannochmore 13 Year Old and an Orkney 16 Year Old from Highland Park. One barrel of each of these was produced, meaning there’s just a few hundred bottles for the world, and a fraction of that for the California market. Thanks to some strong relationships, we were able to secure a meaningful allocation, but quick action will be rewarded, as these one-of-a-kind gems are already moving fast.

Orkney (Highland Park) 16 Year Old “Rites of Passage” 1st Fill Oloroso Hogshead Cask Strength Orkney Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) ($129.99)

K&L Notes: Disitlled July 21st, 2006 and aged in a refill cask until 2018 when it was reracked into a first fill Oloroso sherry hogshead. Bottled 9/22/22. 287 bottles produced and just a fraction of that available in California. Bottled at a cask strength of 59.3% ABV and without chill-filtration or added color. There is no shortage of Orkney on the independent market these days. Nearly always sold without the accompanying Highland Park name, it is a terribly kept secret where these casks are coming from. The racking into first-fill sherry here really sets this one apart. A beautiful amber in color it’s not nearly as powerful a cask as we see on Rites of Passage’s other sherry releases, but in this case, that is actually a great thing. The cask was perfectly matched to the spirit. It doesn’t cover up that delicate honey and heather note and gentle smoke of modern HP, but rather it just frames it all perfectly.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: April 20, 2023

Flavors as golden as the pure gold color. Sweet orange marmalade, tart lemon bars dusted in powdered sugar, and a gently wafting heather smoke mark this wonderful cask. At nearly 60% ABV, it is full-flavored and powerful yet remarkably restrained. With a dollop of water, the smoke really comes forward, and the profile mellows into a summertime sipper. I am craving this by the pool in a highball on a sunny day. It feels like a garden party on a crisp spring day combined with the delights of a stonefruit orchard in late summer. Roasted malt and succulent peaches, nectarines, and plums are bright and clear. Modern HP can be a bit of a chameleon, and here we have the lighter profile of this special distillery showing off its colorful plumage. The cask influence is more wine-driven than the other sherry casks in the Rites of Passage line-up, a distinctly different feel on sherry, but a magic whisky nonetheless.

Mannochmore 13 Year Old “Rites of Passage” 1st Fill Bourbon Hogshead Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) ($149.99)

K&L Notes: Rites of Passage by Epicurean Selection has fired the opening salvo in the war for the future of independent bottling. Delivering casks of the utmost quality with respectable age stagements and carefully managed wood selection at prices that are fair is no easy task, and many new bottlers don’t even seem to be trying on the last part. This 13 Year from Mannochmore shows, more than the Blue Chip distilleries of ROP’s other releass, what exactly we can look forward to in the long run. A surpsingly active refill hogshead from a workhorse Diageo distillery that was surely destined to be blended away has been revitalized into one of the most exciting casks we’ve seen in the 12- to 15-year-old space in quite some time. Reracked in 2019 into a first-fill bourbon hoggie, this cask really highlights the best of Mannochmore. Malt- and fruit-forward, it is pretty and creamy and everything you want out of a Speysider. Bottled at cask strength (54% ABV) and without color or chill-filtration.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: April 20, 2023

Easy to overlook in a line-up that includes 30 Year Bunnahabhain as well as mature Laphroaig and Highland Park, it would be criminal to pass up this humble Mannochmore. At ‘just’ 13 years of age, this is a cask for the true malt lover. If you cannot get enough of a quality malt that brings pure joy to your palate, make space, as this is a cask whose photo should sit next to Single Malt Scotch in the dictionary. The long and clear ferments at the distillery and nondescript stills provide a lively and fruity, malt-forward whisky. Designed for the heart of many a Diageo blend, this workhorse plant just makes damn good whisky. When you put it into a first-fill bourbon hoggie of the highest order, you get the magic that has made Single Malt a choice beverage for the last couple of centuries. The liquid amber color is reminiscent of the fields of grain from which the raw materials came. As you nose your glass, you can see the tall stalks of barley waving in a gentle breeze. You’re transported to the malt room or a busy bakery with its toasty goodness hanging in the air. Sweet fruits in a sticky mix like the filling of a Danish provide just the right counterpoint to the more earthy tones of the grain. Thick vanilla pudding and butterscotch are clear indications the bourbon hogshead was a cracking cask. I haven’t been this enthralled with a bottling of a random distillery in a long time. I could drink this every day and be perfectly content. It reminds me of when I first fell in love with Scotch.

Bunnahabhain 30 Year Old “Rites of Passage” 1st Fill Oloroso Barrel Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) ($599.99)

K&L Notes: Rites of Passage is a new independent bottler committed ot the old way of doing things. Lamenting the loss of medium- to long-term aged single casks, they only bottle superlative quality casks in premium barrels with a minimum age statement of 12 years. Many of their casks will greatly surpass that, like this 30-year, first-fill sherry cask from Bunnahabhain. Double barreled in first-fill olorosso, this particular whisky was distilled on December 2nd, 1991 and filled into first-fill sherry and was reracked into a new first-fill sherry cask in 2017 by Epicurean Selection, the company behind Rites of Passage. It was finally bottled on October 5th, 2022. It is dark as chocolate and clean as a whistle. 47.3% ABV natural cask strength with no added color or chill filtration. Only 249 bottles produced.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: April 20, 2023

We have not seen full-term, sherry-aged Islay single malt approaching this quality in nearly a decade. I’m not sure we’ve ever had a double first-fill cask like this from Scotland. The whisky is darker than Coca Cola thanks to aging in two consecutive first-fill sherry barrels. Twenty-five long years in first-fill followed by five more years in another first-fill barrel! The fact that this barrel saw not one, but two squeaky clean sherry casks is a miracle. Not a trace of stinky sulfur here, but a deep and heady mix of raisins, maple syrup, brioche, toasted graham crackers, dried dates, figs, and baked pie, all with a trace of ancient Islay smoke and salt that was surely bombastic in its youth but has mellowed into the graceful, mature adult of any parent’s dreams. A zestful citrus note provides the perfect amount of lift and freshness to what would otherwise be a heavy and thick profile. It’s glorious and criminally underpriced by today’s standards. The only tragedy here is that we weren’t able to secure the entire barrel as an exclusive.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Golden Dram:
WIN Loch Lomond 21 Year Old

Purchase either of the delicious new Single Grain expressions from Loch Lomond –  Distiller’s Choice or Cooper’s Collection – up until Sunday 30th April for a chance to win the stunning Loch Lomond 21 Year Old. We will take all the entries and select one winner who will be sent the the prize. Win or not, you’ll still add a fantastic new dram to your collection!

Loch Lomond Golden Dram →

New and exclusive single casks have landed!

We have 3 smoky drams or all you peaty lovers! In our constant search for gems we have uncovered for our customers a variety of bottlings from our unique and exceptional private cask selection. View the latest bottles from the Loch Fyne Range below…

🔥 Free delivery over £99 🔥

The Loch Fyne Single Casks →

The Loch Fyne Ledaig 11 Year Old 2023

We have selected this heavily peated Ledaig, a single malt hailing from the luscious shored of the Isle of Mull. One of only 454 bottles – get yours whilst you can! Our last Ledaig single cask went quick… Bottled for Loch Fyne Whiskies, and matured for eleven years in our specially selected cask, this heavily peated Ledaig single malt hails from the Isle of Mull. One of only 454 bottles, and decanted at 53.0% abv.

£95.00
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The Loch Fyne Islay 12 Year Old 2023

We have dipped into our private cache of single casks to bottle this mystery smoky Islay dram, aged for 12 years and limited to 504 bottles. Bottled just for us here at Loch Fyne Whiskies, and matured for 12 years in our own specially selected cask, this rare single malt hails from the wonderful whisky land of Islay. One of only 504 bottles, and presented at a lovely 54.0% abv.

£115.00
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The Loch Fyne Williamson 7 Year Old 2023

A rare release of only 277 bottles from one of the big peaty players on Islay! Bottled at a lovely cask strength 53% abv. Bottled only for us at Loch Fyne Whiskies, and matured for seven years in our specially selected cask, this special wee Williamson single malt is an cracking example of Islay whisky. One of only 277 bottles, and presented at a lovely 53.0% abv.

£92.00
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WE CLEANED UP AT THIS YEAR’S IWSC!

This year’s iteration of the International Wine and Spirits Competition saw the Wemyss Malts Core Range attain gold, silver and bronze. Up against the very best of the best of the Spirits industry, our three vivid expressions performed extremely well across the board and scooped the judges’ approval.Celebrate with us and explore our award winning Core Range yourself! Use the code IWSC10 to get 10% off any order of the Core Range.

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Tormore 2000 22YO Single Cask

UK Exclusive Bottling

One of only 185 bottles produced

Distilled: 2000

Bottled: 19th January 2023
Cask Type: First Fill Bourbon Barrel

£162.00 >

Vanilla fudge aromas lead to lemon and lime with notes of malted biscuit. Candied peel flavours combine with pineapple and white chocolate. A medium-bodied finish with brown sugar and oak. Bottled by Gordon & MacPhail

https://youtu.be/H5NMWsPbPzw

Laphroaig. 10. Cask. Strength. These words are enough to strike fear or love into the hearts of whisky drinkers. As such a divisive style of whisky, even peaty whisky fans can become divided over Laphroaig. However, when it’s presented in this manner, it is unmistakably, unequivocally, one of the best standard line bottles of whisky on the market.

I’m biased. I love Laphroaig. It’s probably my favourite Islay distillery. Yet to ever experience a version of this cask strength release that wasn’t draped in complexity and classic Laphroaig peatiness.

Some will undoubtedly disagree with how much I love this, but there aren’t many other cask strength Islay whiskies that are as affordable (contextually) as this…perhaps Ardbeg Uigeadail But even then, that can be so varied when it comes to the batches.

Either way, I hope you enjoy the review!