Happy New Year

Our first collection schedule for 2024 has been finalised. Please click HERE to view our schedule and register your interest.

This month we will be including an Orkney visit.

Please click HERE for the list of dates, locations and to register your interest in this service.

The deadline for collection requests is 12noon on Monday 15th January 2024.

Home collections are available for those customers sending 10+ bottles or bottles to the value of £1000. Unfortunately this service is not available in London or to those customer who live within 10 miles of a collection point.

Collections are limited and offered on a first come first served basis.

It is essential that a submission sheet is completed, you can do so under the selling section on your ‘My SWA’ page.

It would be appreciated if bottles could be packed for uplift with your name clearly marked on the front of the box.

A winner in our auction? We are now offering a delivery service to customers who are dropping bottles off for a future auction. This service is charged at £12 (inc VAT), optional loss and breakage cover is available.

Submission Form & Label

Smoky Scot represents their Islay offering, full of the characteristic peat smoke and medicinal notes for which the island’s whiskies are renowned. Distilled at Caol Ila Distillery on the east coast of the whisky island, it offers a great insight into what Islay has to offer to whisky aficionados.

Matured for five years in traditional oak casks that previously held bourbon, it is a youthful and lively representative of the house style. The clear and vibrant flavours of iodine, seaweed, tar and smoke will transport you to the magical island of Islay. Non chill-filtered for maximum flavour, the whisky comes at 46% ABV.

Tasting Notes:

The initial notes of tar, old wood, brine and smoke gradually give way to a more subtle, flowery and malty bouquet. There is roasted sunflower seeds, generous maltiness and a hint of menthol.

TyndrumWhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop
Tyndrumwhisky, Tyndrum
Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8RY
United Kingdom

Age-Stated Rarity from Heaven Hill Distillery
Evan Williams 12 Year Old “Red Label – Wax Dip” Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml, Japanese Import) ($180.00)

Following on the heels of our trio of Blanton’s limited-edition Japanese imports, we have another collectible gem originally destined for the Japanese market in the Evan Williams 12-Year-Old Red Label. One of the rare age-stated bottlings from the iconic Heaven Hill distillery, it’s a killer sample of what made this benchmark brand so successful and popular.

Evan Williams 12 Year Old “Red Label – Wax Dip” Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml, Japanese Import) ($180.00)

K&L Notes: Here we have it! Bourbon aficionados will know that it’s extremely rare to find an age-stated whiskey from Heaven Hill, and that’s what makes the Evan Williams 12 Year Old “Red Label” such a discovery. Bottled at 101 proof, it’s an amped up version of everything the EW devotees love about this brand. The nose is dominated by classic tones of maple and brown sugar with a little bit of praline and toffee to take things even further into opulence. The rich palate conveys honeyed almonds, butterscotch, candied orange peel, and hints of fresh tobacco leaf. At this proof, there is heat to this dram, but the overall intensity of the profile more than stands up to the heat. This is a bottling that any fan of Heaven Hill should have behind their bar, in their cabinet, or stashed away for special friends or special occasions.

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

Two Heaven Hill Brands Facilities Recognized as EPA’s First-Ever ENERGY STAR Certified Distilleries

Heaven Hill’s historic Bernheim Distillery and Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery honored with distinction for superior energy performance.

BARDSTOWN, Ky (November 20, 2023) – Heaven Hill Brands is excited to announce two company facilities received the EPA’s first-ever ENERGY STAR certification for distilleries in recognition of superior energy efficiency and performance. According to the EPA, distilleries which earn the ENERGY STAR use significantly less energy and contribute fewer greenhouse gas emissions than their peers. The company’s historic Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, Ky. has been the lifeblood of Heaven Hill’s whiskey operations since it was acquired in 1999. Also receiving recognition is the company’s Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery in Buda, Texas.

“Heaven Hill has always strived to be a good steward of the natural resources used to create our products,” said Rachel Nally, Heaven Hill Brands Director of Environment & Sustainability. “Cultivating sustainable and thriving communities is important for our employees, our partners, and our neighbors. Heaven Hill’s energy efficiency programs improve community resilience by reducing emissions and lessening the load on the area’s energy infrastructure. We are honored to receive this certification from the EPA as it recognizes our commitment to innovation in utilizing energy and responsibly using all the natural resources that support our business.”

Distilleries recognized by the EPA earned a score of 75 or higher using the ENERGY STAR’s Energy Performance Indicator (EPI) which facilities can use to benchmark their performance on a scale of 1-100.  Heaven Hill has implemented a variety of projects over recent years, including completion of multiple boiler efficiency and insulation projects to reduce energy needs, replacement of light fixtures with more efficient LED bulbs, and tree plantings around its facilities in order to reach goals identified in the company’s larger environmental and sustainability strategy. Put into place in 2021, the strategy focuses on reaching the following significant milestones by 2030:

• Drive toward zero carbon emissions by reducing carbon emissions from operations by 30%
• Use water more efficiently by improving water use efficiency by 15%
• Reduce waste by eliminating 10% of waste generated by operations, reducing virgin plastic in bottles by 50%, and working towards zero waste visitor experiences
• Conserve the ecosystems that support the business by sponsoring planting of 5,000 trees of substantial size in local communities, supporting sustainable white oak supply, and supporting sustainable agriculture

Over the course of the next decade, both corporate and branded initiatives will continue to be announced to support these goals as the long-term vision takes shape. To learn more about Heaven Hill’s environmental sustainability efforts, visit this link.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL BRANDS: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY -based Heaven Hill Brands (http://www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and led spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Larceny, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Deep Eddy Vodka; Admiral Nelson’s Rum; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul Tequila; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur, plus the newly-acquired Samson & Surrey portfolio.

Caperdonich 18 years old 70cl 48%

Caperdonich 18 years old is a wonderful single malt. Smoky bonfire comes together with the classic sweet and fruity Speyside style. Matured in American oak barrels, this rare and robust single malt is subtly layered with initial aromas of peat, followed by a taste of apple and brown sugar, gentle ginger and warming orange.

Unique peat, full flavour

Torabhaig is back with amped up smoke for full-on seasonal spirit

The final release in the distillery’s Allt Gleann series delivers bold smoke and generous fruit for distinct festive sipping.

We really enjoy what Skye-based distillery Torabhaig is doing in creating an honest, great value and superbly made whisky. This release has all the character of Torabhaig that you would expect – bonfire smoke, salinity, maltiness, and sweet, vanilla-led oaky spice – but bottled at a much higher ABV. Named after the river that flows by the distillery, this is the team’s first batch strength release.

KNOCHDHU 10
2013 vintage

PX sherry

Infrequent flyers. Knockdhu 10 Year Old 2013 vintage Highland single malt Scotch whisky. Single Pedro Ximénez Sherry Puncheon #804975 bottled August 2023 by The Alistair Walker Whisky Co. for the Infrequent Flyers series. 640 bottles.

Nose: A deep, earthy, leathery nose, with abundant fruit notes, specifically ripe red plums and cranberries. Burnt sugar and milk chocolate make cameo appearances.

Taste: As expected, the PX sherry influence is prominent; a sublime combination of stewed raisins and sultanas, chocolate liqueurs and treacle toffee, with both cinnamon and allspice dropping in for good measure.

£73.84

AnCnoc Malt Whisky is produced at Knockdhu Distillery at Knock in the Highland whisky region. It was established by the Distillers Company Ltd. in 1893 to produce whisky for Haig’s blends of Scotch. Knockdhu has two stills with worm tubs and traditional dunnage warehouses where it matures both peated and unpeated AnCnoc whisky. Vintage releases include 1975 and 2000 whilst age releases include the 12 year old and 22 year old.

Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon (700ml)(European Import) $270.00 View

From Buffalo Trace Distillery, Blanton’s holds the distinction of being the world’s first regularly released single-barrel bourbon. This exceptional brand was launched in 1984 and named for the legendary leaders of that historic distillery outside of Frankfurt, Albert B. Blanton. The brand, which is produced and distributed by Sazerac at the Buffalo Trace Distillery, is owned by the previous owners of the distillery, a Japanese company called Age International. Over the last several years, Blanton’s has become one of the most sought-after and inaccessible whiskies on the market. This, their rarest and most elusive expression, is previously completely unobtainable. For instance, in 2021 K&L was allocated a measly 3 bottles company wide. Now that new regulations allow 700ml bottles to be sold, another channel is open for us to obtain this special whiskey. Each barrel is different, bottled at full cask strength without chill filtration of any kind. Proofs range from 115-135 proof and cask numbers cannot be checked in advance of purchase. This rare expression is truly one of Kentucky’s finest.

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

ralfy review 1009 – MacLeans Nose Blended Scotch @ 46%vol:

The 151st auction is now past the midway point, and with the amount of bids flying in there must be a fair few of you trying to soothe those post-festive blues with a special tipple.  Here are a few more highlights in this month which you might have missed.

Springbank 1966 Local Barley Cask #480 75cl

A bottling with legendary status this is the Springbank 1966 Local Barley Cask #480 75cl.  The Local Barley casks distilled in 1966 have been highly prized for a while now, and with good reason.  This particular beauty was aged solely in Bourbon wood and spent a mightily impressive three decades maturing into the fine specimen you see before you.

Ardbeg Special 1965 39 Year Old with Mini in Museum Case

A very special bottling this one, this is the Ardbeg Special 1965 39 Year Old with Mini in Museum Case.  This terrific expression is proudly displayed in a beautiful glass museum case. A very rare vatting of two exceptionally old casks, it is accompanied by a mini and a cleaning kit; so that you might have your whisky and drink it, whilst keeping it in pristine condition at the same time!

GlenDronach 1972 40 Year Old Single Cask #710

By this point I’m sure we’re all well aware of the quality of these releases, this is the GlenDronach 1972 40 Year Old Single Cask #710.  Many a sherried whisky drinker has had a revelatory experience with GlenDronach’s single cask releases, such is the depth of flavour and character they are imbued with.  This particular beast was distilled way back in 1972 and spent four whole decades in a single Oloroso sherry butt.

Glenesk 1971 30 Year Old Silver Seal Decanter 75cl

The word rarity is bandied around often in whisky circles but this, the Glenesk 1971 30 Year Old Silver Seal Decanter 75cl, certainly fits the bill. This one of one bottling from the now silent Glenesk distillery comes in a wonderfully crafted circa 1920’s crystal decanter with hallmarked silver top seal. It also comes with a certificate of authenticity and a crystal stopper. A truly unique release from the iconic indie bottler.We still have plenty of time left in the auction but now is definitely the time to get moving picking out your own personal favourites and making bids.  Best of luck to everyone in the auction, and as always………..don’t lose your bottle.