What a fun batch this was to put together! From the original 10 barrels of 10 and 8-year-old bourbons, our team tasted through them all to pick our two favorite standouts for the single barrel cask strength bottling. We then meticulously combined, measured, proofed, and tested the rest to make sure we nailed the profile for this 100-proof banger. The 10-year-old casks came from a mid-high rye 75/21/4 mash bill, while the 8-year-old barrels used an even higher rye 60/36/4 recipe. This overall high-rye blend carries the perfect balance of sweet and spice to be approachable, sippable, and crushable. It is truly worthy of carrying on the Faultline legacy during K&Ls 50th year. So lets dive in, shall we? A resonant burnt sienna color greets you, and the nose invites you in with warm clove, cinnamon, spent coffee grounds, chocolate-covered orange peel, and a touch of golden raisins. The palate introduces marmalade, peanut butter, and Mexican hot chocolate to the mix, with a wisp of extracted roots that hints at the aromatic bitters used in an Old Fashioned. It is exactly the kind of cocktail this bourbon begs to be used for. The finish is easy, almost demanding that you jump back in for another sip. This will shine in any whiskey concoction, but it is just as impressive standing alone. At a mere $40, it is worth every penny.

— Josh Gelfand, K&L Spirits Buyer

K&L’s “Faultline” 100 Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey ($39.99)

Once again, we found some kick@$$ casks, including some 10-year-old 75/21/4 and 8-year-old 60/36/4 barrels that had “Faultline” written all over them from their woody, sweet, and spicy profiles. We kept tasting and tasting until we found the sweet spot at 100 proof. The proprietary blend is one we keep close to the vest. It’s FAR better than we ever thought it would be. The plan was to provide something fun and delicious for our customers, but the final whiskey is just phenomenal. It’s rich, with sweet fruit right on the entry, a full-bodied mid-palate, and a long, rich, spicy finish. It tastes like it came from Four Roses or somewhere fancy in KY. We only produce it when we find a batch worthy of this special recipe because this bourbon is the old King of K&L. Taste it if you don’t believe us.