Younger Still (Ardbeg) Single Cask

The Whisky Barrel Unveils Exclusive “Younger Still” 2021 Islay Single Cask — A Modern Legend in the Making

Get ready for a rare take on Islay’s iconic whisky heritage — The Whisky Barrel proudly presents the Younger Still, a bold and limited single malt whisky distilled in 2021 at a secret Islay distillery on Pier Road (the legendary home of the heavily peated and often toasted oak Committee). Bottled in 2025 at a formidable natural cask strength of 61.6% ABV, this exclusive release is limited to just 261 bottles worldwide.

Crafted from one single cask, the Younger Still captures the raw, untamed essence of Islay — from its billowing peat smoke and sea-salt air to its finely balanced citrus and spice. Described by The Whisky Barrel’s team as “smoky, maritime and full of raw power”, this release revives the island’s legendary spirit in a new generation.

“We’ve drawn one single cask from Islay’s iconic heart and bottled it exclusively for our own growing global community — Younger Still is not only a dram, it’s a statement.” — Alastair Brown, Managing Director of The Whisky Barrel.

Priced at £69 GBP (inc. VAT), this limited single-cask release is available only through The Whisky Barrel’s website. For whisky collectors and Islay enthusiasts seeking something truly exceptional, the Younger Still marks a bold chapter in modern Islay single malt history.

Key Bottle Information:

• Distilled: 2021, Secret Islay Distillery on Pier Road
• Bottled: 2025 at 61.6% ABV
• Limited to 261 bottles exclusive to The Whisky Barrel

Tasting Highlights:

• Nose: Billows of peat smoke meet citrus peel, sea salt and charred oak
• Palate: Coastal smoke, dark malt, sweet spice and hints of fruit
• Finish: Long and enduring, with embers of peat, maritime salt and warming spice

The Islay Younger Still is available exclusively from: 🔗 The Whisky Barrel – Islay Younger Still

Westward “Milestone” Edition No. 3 American Single Malt Whiskey (750ml)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Buyer | Review Date: 11/2025

There’s no question that Westward is at the forefront of defining the American Single Malt category, and one thing I think is missing in this category is a truly legendary product that fulfills its true potential in a fully realized way. We’ve had some amazing high-end releases from classic craft producers like St. George, Stranahan’s, and Charbay, but there are so few true diamonds in the category. To that, our friends at Westward have responded, “Hold my beer.” The Milestone is a product that is truly revolutionary in both its conceptual design and execution. Each edition builds on the previous expression, and if last year’s release is any indication, this could easily be one of the most overtly delicious American malts ever bottled. The character is opulent and extremely complex, hearkening to some of the most storied Scottish releases, with beautiful tropical fruit and dense, hyper-developed malt character. It’s truly incredible what they’ve achieved, and having the opportunity—thanks to new partnerships—to actually show our customers this extremely rare and sought-after product is such a joy. This is how you build a new category. Congrats to our friends at Westward.

$240.00

The Westward Whiskey Milestone is considered by the distiller to be their masterpiece. The intent is to showcase “Verum Factum,” the accumulated knowled over 20 years of whiskey production. By reimagining Old World distilling and winemaking techniques, Milestone is raised from a twenty-one-barrel Solera system used exclusively for this annual offering. This meticulous method allows them to continuously age and blend some of our oldest and most precious whiskeys with rare cask types, creating even more complex flavors. This special approach creates a time capsule in a bottle, one that reflects a distinct moment in the distiller’s story that can never be told again.

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

LATEST EDITION

In the latest issue of Whisky Magazine, we’re exploring the whiskies of Asia. Japanese whisky has a well-established presence in the whisky world. Now, whisky making is spreading throughout the continent as a new generation of distillers join the craft. On the cover, founder Dhavall Gandhi shares the story behind Kandoblanc. The luxury design house unites the principles of Japanese design, Italian craftsmanship, and single malt Scotch whisky.

We Sell Sanctuary (And It’s Made By Phillips!)

THE VIDEO!

Adam discovers the brand new relaunch of Sanctuary single malt by Fermentorium at Phillips here in Victoria BC. Want to try it? Come and celebrate the launch with us at a very special tasting event and launch party on Dec 7th! Links below.

Fermentorium – The Cask Discovery Tasting

Sunday December 7th at 2pm

Sanctuary Whisky Launch Party

Sunday December 7th at 4pm

Join Phillips Fermentorium and the Deb Rhymer band as they launch their brand new re-imagined Sanctuary whisky at the Sunday Blues Service.

Buy your bottle now 

Bottled at 100 proof, Knob Creek® 21 Year Old is a full-flavored bourbon that reflects our unwavering commitment to pre-Prohibition style craftsmanship.

THE JAMES B. BEAM DISTILLING CO. INTRODUCES KNOB CREEK® 21 YEAR OLD, THE OLDEST EXPRESSION IN DISTILLERY HISTORY

Knob Creek® proudly announces the newest evolution of its Single Barrel Select Program: Knob Creek® Single Barrel Select Cask Strength. 

Each barrel was hand-selected for its distinctive flavor and balance, resulting in a bourbon as rare and bold in character as it is in age

CLERMONT, Ky., – The James B. Beam Distilling Co., home of the The Small Batch Bourbon Collection™, marks a historic moment with the release of Knob Creek® 21 Year Old, the oldest expression to be released from the distillery and the award-winning Knob Creek® portfolio. Discovered at 21 years, this limited-edition bourbon marks a milestone for Knob Creek®—an extra-aged whiskey that embodies Knob Creek® while delivering a distinctive new expression and flavor experience.

Bottled at 100 proof, Knob Creek® 21 Year Old is a full-flavored bourbon that reflects our unwavering commitment to pre-Prohibition style craftsmanship. For more than two decades, these barrels rested patiently in our Kentucky rackhouses, weathering changing temperatures and seasons. During this time, the whiskey didn’t just age; it evolved, gaining extraordinary depth, color, and character that only 21 years in the barrel can bring. Each was then hand-selected by our master distillers for its remarkable balance and complexity – proof that patience, instinct, and respect for the process can create something truly one of a kind.

“When we first laid this batch to rest, we weren’t chasing any specific age statement – we were focused on crafting a great bourbon, just like we always do,” said Freddie Noe, eighth generation master distiller. “After I tasted the whiskey, I knew we had something special. After decades in the rackhouse, the liquid developed a richness and balance we knew Knob Creek® fans and whiskey enthusiasts would want to try. That’s what makes this release special: it’s bold, full of character, and embodies what Knob Creek® stands for.”

Bottled at 100 proof, Knob Creek® 21 Year Old is a full-flavored bourbon that reflects our unwavering commitment to pre-Prohibition style craftsmanship. It opens with aromas of seasoned oak, caramelized sugar, and subtle smoke. On the palate, deep caramel and char build alongside hints of fruit and toasted oak, leading to a long, warm finish of toffee and charred wood — a flavor profile shaped by decades of care and expertise.

Arriving just in time for the holiday season, Knob Creek® 21 Year Old invites bourbon lovers to savor and share it neat to experience the liquid in its purest form. This limited time offering is presented in a distinguished keepsake box – a tribute to the craft and care behind this release – and is available nationwide for a limited time at a suggested retail price of $249.99 for a 750mL bottle.

About Knob Creek® Bourbon

Knob Creek® has set the standard for super-premium whiskey for three decades by crafting extraordinary full-flavored bourbon with a rich taste. Knob Creek® bourbons and ryes are patiently aged to perfection in new, maximum charred American Oak barrels to impart the biggest and fullest flavor on their whiskey. No matter the expression, Knob Creek® is crafted without shortcuts and embodies the pre-Prohibition style that founding distiller Booker Noe created in 1992. Since then, Knob Creek® has lived up to such standards with the introduction of Knob Creek® Straight Rye Whiskey in 2012, and later on, Knob Creek® Single Barrel Select Rye Whiskey. In recent years, Knob Creek® announced the permanent addition of Knob Creek® 12 Year Old Bourbon and launched three limited releases, Knob Creek® 15 Year Old Bourbon, Knob Creek® 18 Year Old Bourbon, and Knob Creek® Bourbon x Rye. Knob Creek has continued to build out its rye portfolio; the brand announced the addition of an age statement to its flagship rye whiskey, Knob Creek® 7 Year Old Rye Whiskey, and released Knob Creek® 10 Year Old Rye Whiskey.

About Suntory Global Spirits

As a world leader in premium spirits, Suntory Global Spirits inspires the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature. Known for its craftsmanship of premium whiskies, including Jim Beam® and Maker’s Mark®; Japanese whiskies, including Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and Toki™; and leading Scotch brands including Laphroaig® and Bowmore®, Suntory Global Spirits also produces leading brands such as Tres Generaciones® and El Tesoro® tequila, Roku™ and Sipsmith® gin, and is a world leader in Ready-To-Drink cocktails, with brands like -196™ (minus one-nine-six) and On The Rocks™ Premium Cocktails.

A global company with approximately 6,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, Suntory Global Spirits is driven by its core values of Growing for Good, Yatte Minahare and Giving Back to Society. The company’s Proof Positive sustainability strategy includes ambitious goals and investments to drive sustainable change and have a positive impact on the planet, consumers and communities. Headquartered in New York City, Suntory Global Spirits is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information, visit www.suntoryglobalspirits.com

*Further information on Knob Creek® awards can be found at www.knobcreek.com
Knob Creek® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 50% Alc./vol. ©2025 James B. Beam Distilling Company, Clermont KY.

The Whisky Lounge releases 20^th Anniversary Book

Saturday 25^th October, at York Whisky Festival, saw the release of The Whisky Lounge’s first book, to celebrate the 20^th Anniversary of the company’s creation.

The self-published book contains excerpts from interviews with 23 key players in the whisky industry, covering subjects including, ‘do you believe the whisky industry has changed more in the last 20 years, than the previous 200?’, plus memories of their experiences with The Whisky Lounge.

The book includes interviews with friends of The Whisky Lounge, such as Dave Broom, Charlie MacLean, Dr. Nick Morgan, Dr. Bill Lumsden and many more, plus Whisky Lounge founders, Amanda and Eddie Ludlow.

It also contains dozens of photos from the last 20 years of Whisky Lounge events.

Isabel Graham-Yooll, writer, and ‘author’ of the book, came up with the idea, when she realised the importance of marking the occasion. She said;

“Happy 20th Birthday to The Whisky Lounge! 

Over the last twenty years, The Whisky Lounge has created opportunities for thousands upon thousands of new whisky enthusiasts across the UK to taste great whisky, and for whisky brands to connect with those customers. 

Bringing Whisky to the People Since 2005 is a collection of twenty interviews (one for each year of The Whisky Lounge), all with industry veterans. In each interview we discussed a range of whisky topics, including whether the whisky industry had changed more in The Whisky Lounge’s twenty years than the previous 200. Their answers were mostly knowledgeable, sometimes hilarious and often unprintable, but always fascinating.”

Eddie Ludlow, ‘Whisky Evangelist’, Founder and editor of the book, commented;

“When Isabel came to us with the idea, we loved it, yet we probably would not have considered doing it, without her suggestion. The final ‘product’ is way beyond anything we had expected, and is a genuinely fascinating read – we hope everyone will enjoy it. 

We love what we do, and work hard for the industry, and ourselves, and if we have had any kind of impact on the way whisky is perceived by consumers, over the last 20 years, then that makes us happy!” 

Amanda Ludlow, co-founder said; 

“When we started this business twenty years ago, we had one simple mission, which was to turn everyone onto whisky. It has been truly humbling and heart-warming to see the impact The Whisky Lounge has had on the industry and its consumers, over the years.

In a world of change we are proud that we have managed to stay true to our original vision“

The book is available, to buy, for £16.99, from The Whisky Lounge’s website  and at selected Whisky Lounge events.

About The Whisky Lounge

The Whisky Lounge is the UK’s leading whisky events company. It is a family-owned and run, independent business, that has been sharing their passion for whisky with enthusiasts—both seasoned and new—for two decades. Co-founder, Eddie Ludlow, is a Keeper of the Quaich, an IWSC judge, a livery-man for the Worshipful Company of Distillers, and author of the best-selling book, ‘Whisky – A Tasting Course’, published by DK.

For more information;

Product and sales: Eddie Ludlow – eddie@thewhiskylounge.com

Press: Amanda Ludlow – amanda@thewhiskylounge.com

For more information: www.thewhiskylounge.com

XOP Rare Port Dundas 40 Years Old

ABV: 47.6% | Vol: 70cl Anticipate a wonderful vanilla depth running to tropical fruits, peaches in syrup and honey’d cereals with a rich toffee and spiced oak style.

£566.67 

Since 1948 we have had an obsession with the quality of the Scotch Whisky we bottle. This is the inspiration behind our XOP Rare releases. Our precious spirit is finessed in truly exceptional Single Casks, hand selected only by Douglas Laing family members. In the passionate belief that over 70% of the Whisky’s final character is dependent on the quality of the cask in which it is matured, the oak cask is a vital factor in ensuring impeccable quality. Thereafter, each and every bottle of our XOP Rare is bottled by hand with great care and attention and every certificate is individually signed by a member of the family to certify that this Whisky is of outstanding quality and distinctive character.

Glengoyne Wetlands – A Whisky Story Rooted in Nature

Glengoyne has always been rooted in nature. From malted barley and pure water to the land that sustains us, every drop of whisky begins with care. When year-round production challenged traditional practices, we found a beautifully simple solution: the Glengoyne Wetlands.

Twelve wetland chambers transform spent our spent lees into pure water that flows back to Loch Lomond, creating a thriving ecosystem of sedges, willows, dragonflies, bees, and birds.

Our commitment goes further. We support the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust at Caerlaverock, restoring hides in one of Scotland’s best places to see geese – a fitting tribute to our name, Valley of the Wild Geese. And through Plan Bee, two hives which are home to 80,000 bees grace our distillery grounds, boosting biodiversity and producing a few pots of honey along the way.

Our efforts have earned Green Tourism’s top award for three consecutive years, but more importantly, we’ve created a sanctuary for wildlife and a cleaner future for whisky-making.

 Glengoyne Wetlands Single Cask 

A remarkable 16-year-old whisky celebrating our partnership with the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT). Proceeds from sales are being donated to further support WWT’s conservation work, helping to sustain ongoing projects and preserve wetlands that are integral to the geese in our glen and beyond. Only a few bottles remain. Available to buy on our website, in person at our distillery and at select WWT sites.

VISIT GLENGOYNE

Smoky Whiskies For Autumn

Looking for something to sip as the leaves are falling? We’ve chosen this selection to match the season, with smoky, peaty flavours that are perfect for sharing beside the fire. With a variety of bottles, you can choose from a range of tasting notes, from the butterscotch and flower-filled Balvenie to the vanilla cream hints of Ki One Unicorn. As the weather gets colder, pour yourself a dram that will chase the chills away.

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HATOZAKI WHISKY LAUNCHES

TRIPLE CASK RESERVE

The latest expression from Master Distiller & Blender Kimio Yonezawa fuses world whisky tradition with Japanese craftsmanship, joining Hatozaki’s core range blended at the Kaikyō Distillery in southern Japan.

Hatozaki Whisky today announces the launch of its newest expression, Hatozaki Triple Cask Reserve, as a permanent addition to the brand’s portfolio. This latest expression showcases a rare finishing technique, Umeshu plum liqueur casks – a method rarely seen in the whisky world and uniquely rooted in Japan.

Hatozaki Triple Cask Reserve embodies Master Distiller Kimio Yonezawa’s vision of a delicate yet beautifully crafted “world whisky,” shaped by generations of Japanese craftsmanship.

A blend of hand-selected malt whiskies, Hatozaki Triple Cask Reserve is first aged in ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry barrels, then finished for six months in superior Umeshu plum liqueur casks. Known in Japan as ume, Umeshu is a traditional liqueur made by steeping local green plums in alcohol. This additional maturation imparts delicate layers of zesty citrus, tea-like herbal notes, and a subtle plum sweetness, resulting in a complex flavour profile that sets this whisky apart.

Umeshu cask finishing is rarely seen in whisky production, highlighting Hatozaki’s innovative approach to blending whisky whilst rooting the product in Japanese culture and heritage.

“Finishing a whisky in Umeshu casks is rare in the whisky world, and I was eager to see how the Japanese plum liqueur’s flavours would transform the blend,” notes Master Distiller Kimio Yonezawa. “The umeshu influence adds an extra layer of depth and gentle sweetness that truly sets Triple Cask Reserve apart from more traditional whiskies.”

As a true “world whisky” Hatozaki Triple Cask Reserve brings together global distilling influences, refined at the Kaikyō Distillery in Japan with techniques honed over generations. Yonezawa — a fourth-generation distiller — has spent decades mastering whisky craftsmanship and is committed to upholding the high standards set by the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association (JSLMA). The resulting spirit honours time-honored Japanese blending artistry while embracing a worldwide whisky heritage.

Hatozaki Triple Cask Reserve emerges as an elegant yet approachable whisky, best sipped slowly and savored with friends and family. Its thoughtful creation and distinctive finishing technique reflect a commitment to quality and innovation that will appeal to whisky connoisseurs and casual enthusiasts alike.

Master Distiller & Blender Kimio Yonezawa

HATOZAKI TRIPLE CASK RESERVE, 92 PROOF/ABV 46%

COLOR: Golden

NOSE: Fragrant oak spice with black tea and oranges, followed by dried apricots and a touch of vanilla harmonizing with the lightly toasted sweet barley aromas.

MOUTH: The palate opens with a gentle oak spiciness, accompanied by hints of dried peel and flavors of Umeshu. The mid-palate maintains a lightness, revealing more pronounced wood tones and a delicate presence of the spirit.

STYLE: Round, subtle, delicately sweet

Hatozaki Triple Cask Reserve (£58 / $75, 750ml, 46% ABV) joins the brand’s core range of whiskies including Hatozaki Finest Whisky (£38 / $45, 750ml, 40% ABV), and Small Batch Whisky (£50 / $65, 750ml, 46% ABV). All Hatozaki whiskies contain no colouring or chill filtration.

ABOUT HATOZAKI WHISKY

Hatozaki is produced at the Kaikyō Distillery off the southern coast of Japan, where the maritime climate and seaside terroir are ideal conditions for fine whisky maturing. Fourth-generation Master Distiller & Blender Kimio Yonezawa brings blending heritage, skill and passion to the tradition of whisky-making in Japan. The Hatozaki portfolio includes two permanent expressions, Hatozaki Finest Blended Whisky and Small Batch Whisky, and the Omakase Collection: a line of limited edition expressions exclusive to the US, hand-selected by Yonezawa to create unique cask finishes that have included Mizunara, Sakura and other Japanese oak influence. Hatozaki presents a portfolio of expertly crafted whiskies in the Japanese tradition of craftsmanship that are worthy of sipping, savoring, and enjoying with family and friends.

Hatozaki is part of the Marussia Beverages portfolio that includes Akashi-Tai Sake, 135 East Gin, and Torabhaig single malt whisky.