• Ardbeg “Ardbog” Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99)
Ardbeg distillery manager Mickey Heads called the new “Ardbog” the best special edition of Ardbeg he’d ever tasted. We think it’s pretty good, as well. Manzanilla sherry casks featured heavily in the year’s limited release, creating a smoky, peaty, boggy creme brulee flavor that starts with vigor, but finishes with dessert-like richness. It’s quite a spectacular whisky and one we don’t plan on having for long.

• 2002 Bowmore 10 Year Old K&L Exclusive “Exclusive Malts” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($69.99)
We love us some Bowmore here at K&L. When Bowmore is on, it’s unstoppable, mainly because no other Islay distillery has the same richness of fruit and oily texture in conjunction with all the peaty campfire smoke. This young barrel of Bowmore we found outside of Glasgow represents everything we love about the distillery’s special style: light in color, smoked plums on the nose, fresh fruit and vanilla on the palate, swimming with the perfect amount of saline seawater and peat. The first thing David and I said to each other was: “this tastes like a younger version of the 17 year old!” Alas, the wonderful, magical, ethereal 17 year old is no longer in production at the distillery and we’d both finished our last bottles. The chance to perhaps replicate that gentle flavor profile at full proof was just too good to pass up. For the price, this is a no-brainer. There’s not one Islay fan out there who wouldn’t go ga-ga for this whisky. Supple, fruity, smoky, salty, luscious, nutty, complex, and tasty. Now we just have to hope there’s enough to go around for everyone. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)

• 1995 Fettercairn 17 Year Old K&L Exclusive “Exclusive Malts” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($84.99)
Fettercairn distillery has been around since 1824, when it was established by Sir Alexander Ramsay, and has enjoyed a tumultuous sales history since that time. It was sold in 1830 to Sir John Gladstone, turned over to his son John Roberts in 1890, who then bought out the other investors in 1912. The distillery was closed in 1926, but reopened in 1939 by new owners Associated Scottish Distillers. In 1971 it was purchased by the Tomintoul Distillery Co, which was subsequently bought out by Whyte & Mackay in 1973, who had nothing but mergers and buy outs over the next three decades. Today Fettercairn is owned by United Spirits, which is partially owned by Diageo, again leaving the distillery in a netherworld of confusion. Fettercairn is pretty much absent in the states because most of the whisky is used in bulk production for private UK businesses like Tesco and Asda, leaving the distillery little chance to showcase its potential as a single malt. This 1995 vintage barrel we found outside of Glasgow is simply charming with aromas of ripe fruit and flowers on the nose. The palate exudes a classic malty core of flavor with wood spices and rich vanilla on the finish. It’s almost too easy to sip. This is a fantastic deal for mature, full-proof, well-made Highland single malt whisky. It’s also a chance to learn more about a historic distillery completely lost in the shuffle of industry business and financial uncertainty. We jumped all over this. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)

Black Bull 12 Year Blended Scotch Whisky 750ml ($49.99)

Black Bull 40 Year Blended Scotch Whisky 750ml ($299.99)

1998 Longrow 14 Year Old Fresh Madeira Barrel Cask  Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 6 available ($139.99)

Longrow Rundlets & Kilderkins Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 6 available ($114.99)

1997 Springbank 15 Year Old Rechar Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 5 available ($144.99)

1996 Springbank 16 Year Old Amontillado Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 3 available ($169.99)

1995 Springbank 17 Year Old Refill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 3 available ($179.99)

United States – Bourbon and Rye

Belle Meade Sour Mash Bourbon 750ml – 12 available ($36.99)

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA