20-Year-Old Exclusive Casks from a Pair of Scotch Icons – K&L California Single Malt News
Incredible Collectible Buys from Two Single Malt Icons
2002 Caol Ila 20YO “Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur’s Choice” K&L Exclusive Cask #8378 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel Nonchillfiltered Cask Strength Islay Single Malt
“This epic, first-fill bourbon barrel of Caol Ila offers well-aged, classic Islay distillery drinking at a very attractive price.” — Andrew Whiteley, K&L Spirits Buyer
2003 Glenlivet 20YO “Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur’s Choice” K&L Exclusive Cask #800366 2nd Refill Ex-Bourbon barrels Nonchillfiltered Cask Strength Highlands Single Malt
“Rich, round, and utterly pleasing, this is gorgeous … If the distillery were selling stuff like this at this price, we’d be buying every drop.” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer
Our friends at Gordon & MacPhail continue to make their case as the best independent bottler in the business with this pair of 20-year-old rarities from two of Scotland’s most iconic distilleries. Of course, the mature class and bearing should pique anyone’s interest, but the real kicker here is the price. It’s simply unheard-of to find single malts of this age and pedigree for well under $200.
K&L Notes: A stupendous barrel of Caol Ila that’s simply being sold way under market prices. There’s no reason this special cask should be so affordable, but we’ve worked hard with our supplier to keep these prices reasonable and are able to offer this well below market for at least the short time it will remain on our shelf. Distilled in late 2002 and filled into a first-fill bourbon barrel for just under 21 years, it was bottled at cask strength without chill-filtration or coloring on August 30th, 2023. Only 157 bottles filled at 53.9% ABV. This gorgeous, old Islay malt is truly one of kind in today’s market. Extremely balanced and well apportioned—there are very few single malt lovers who will turn their noses up at this excellent cask.
David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: January 16, 2024
This gorgeous cask of Caol Ila is pure class. It’s not a peat monster or powerhouse. Instead, it’s a regal old dame of the highest order. But that by no means should indicate a malt that you should brush off. There’s great tension and depth here that is so difficult to replicate in these old Islay malts, particularly at this price point. In fact, there’s no old Islay at this price from what I can tell, but what’s most important here is the way it tastes. Here we go. A fabulous burnished color. The nose is a gorgeous mixture of sweet, ripe orchard fruit covered in white ash. Cured meats, granny smith, bergamot, dried mango, exotic spices, and sandalwood. On the palate, dense, rich smoke, powerful spice, big oak spice, big clean smoke, smoked meats, citrus oils, smoldering and supple. It’s such a fun, old-school vibe that reminds me much more of older distillery offerings than the punchier, weirder IBs we see. I’ll be very sad when this bottle is gone.
Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: January 02, 2024
As a result of the insane single-malt boom over the last decade, we’ve seen very little in the way of middle-aged malt at reasonable prices recently. Fortunately, our relationship with Gordon & MacPhail still affords us occasional access to gems like this. This epic, first-fill bourbon barrel of Caol Ila offers well-aged, classic Islay distillery drinking at a very attractive price. I’m stunned at how bourbon-like the nose is. Aside from the obvious fact that it is peated single malt, the vanilla, butterscotch, and peanut butter jump out like they’re on fire. Caol Ila’s famous fruit is on full display, paired beautifully with hot peat fire and smoldering BBQ brisket. The dusting of salt does wonders to bring out the intensity of flavors carried comfortably in 53.9% ABV. Yielding a tragically small 157 bottles, this cask (and my bottle) will be gone far too soon.
K&L Notes: The iconic Glenlivet Distillery has become a name so associated with the sale of single malt Scotch that an entire region had to change its name due to its success. But more than a century ago, one company was in the business of selling Glenlivet single malt by the bottle. The famed grocer in Elgin made a nice business of buying malt spirit from the local distilleries and bottling it under now iconic labels. Those original bottlings were some of the first bottled single malt Scotch on the market, and Gordon & Macphail has continued their special relationship with the great distillers of Scotland until today. Only recently have they announced that they would no longer be filling contracts as they had for many decades, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have excellent stocks for the foreseeable future. Considering the provenance and quality of the bottler, this gorgeous single barrel of Glenlivet is an absolute steal. Distilled in early 2003 and filled into a once-used bourbon barrel, it aged for two long decades at the G&M warehouses in Elgin before being hand-selected by K&L Wine Merchants for our exclusive sale. Bottled on August 22nd, 2023 at cask strength without chill-filtration or coloring of any kind. Only 158 bottles were produced at 55.3% ABV. This extremely classically styled Glenlivet showcases the incredible delicacy for which the famous Speysider is renowned. A truly under-valued barrel which would normally cost multiples of this price on the open market.
David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: January 16, 2024
This little barrel of Glenlivet is going to be overlooked by many single malt fanatics because it may not seem so special or unique, but in fact, finding an old Glenlivet in the nude is unprecedented. It’s true there was a period where we were selling heavily sherried versions from Signatory that people loved, but honestly those casks could have been from any highlander, and no one would have known the difference. But to see the great Speysider in all its glory, unadulterated by wine influence of any kind, is a real treat. Let’s have a taste! The color is old gold. The nose is a nice balance of punchy fruit—kiwi, green mango, Fuji apple, strong citrus oil, and honeysuckle. Tiny wisps of wildflower honey, fresh vanilla bean, and ripe apricots. On the palate, it’s surprisingly zesty with a big, oily texture. A gorgeous interplay of rich maltiness, dense baked orchard fruit, and oak spice. It’s seamless at full strength, but a drop of water turns this into total velvet. Rich, round, and utterly pleasing, this is gorgeous stuff. Loves air and maybe a bit of water, but lovely right out of the bottle with 30 minutes rested in the glass. If the distillery were selling stuff like this at this price, we’d be buying every drop.
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