• Craigellachie 23 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey 750ml ($274.99) Oh magnificence, tis and old school malt through and through. Very limited supplies. Here’s what Serge at Whiskyfun thought, “Colour: gold. Nose: right, we’re way above both the 13 and the 17, for sure. This is much more complex, with more herbs and tart fruits, kiwis, grapefruits, rhubarb, then tobacco and clay, marzipan, then more earth, citrons, old style mouthwash (we had one called Eau de Botot a long time ago), then a steely touch, metal polish… I have to say this baby noses older than 23, and once again I cannot not think of some great old Rosebank, such as the official 20yo white label. A great surprise. Mouth: good, this is really very good. Love the nutty/almondy character, the waxy mouth feel, all the lemons and grapefruits, the light peppery side, the evanescent medicinal profile (good antiseptic – should that exist), the touches of absinth and limoncello (again), the solid peppery backbone… Really high class! Finish: long, chisel led, like a great old dry chenin from a good house. Comments: an impressively zesty and yet fat profile, right between the northern style (Clynelish) and the southern one (Rosebank.) I love this style, especially since no oaky trick’s been played, apparently. Try to try this great new baby!” 91 points. That’s a huge score for Serge. Anything that’s anything like old Clynelish is a must buy in my book.

• 1972 Macallan 42 Year Old Gordon & MacPhail Speymalt Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 8 available ($1,099.99) Whisky Advocate: “On more familiar ground with this G&M bottling of one of Speyside’s most iconic single malts, this is Macallan in full-on sherried form. Highly aromatic with powdered clove, hints of incense and fig, behind which is cacao, Bolivar cigar, and molasses. The palate has immediate smoke and surprisingly gentle tannins — the inherent oiliness of the spirit keeping any grip at bay. Very long, leathery, prune-like (think armagnac), and dense. A classic after-dinner mouth-filler. (Vol. 20, #4)” K&L Notes: Aged entirely in first-fill sherry barrels, this is quite possibly the best Macallan I’ve ever tasted. The concentration of sherry is absolutely unreal. It’s almost impossible to tell where the sherry ends and the whisky begins – it all gets lost in a seamless flavor of rich toffee, syrup, and caramel. I have to believe that anyone who is willing to pay the price will get exactly what they expect from this bottle. It tastes expensive, unlike so many pricier malts that get you on rarity or collectibility only. Bottled in 2013.

• Tao’s Lightning 17 Year Old K&L Exclusive Cask #15 Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey 750ml ($109.99) This cask from our first purchase at this little distillery in New Mexico is another 17 Year Old Indiana Straight Rye. Bottled at a barrel proof of 45%, it has a completely different profile than #16. Deep dark aromas of cedar and dill remind us instantly that’s an LDI product. This one has a lot more sweet oak on the palate, but makes up for it with a peppery dark graininess. Texturally more profound and powerful, the contrast between the two continues through the finish. Tremendously smooth and complex, it’s definitely old whisky. While all the edges have softened, the herbal dill and subtle pepper keep you guessing. Hopefully there are more of these great old caskscasks out there somewhere, but for now this is the oldest rye in the store. I still don’t get how we snagged them for such a great price -only a few bucks more than their standard 15 year old expression, which is pretty great by the way. The wacky label and unusal provenance only make it better.

• Tao’s Lightning 17 Year Old K&L Exclusive Cask #16 Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey 750ml ($109.99) I have to say, we got lucky with these two casks. How often does a tiny craft distillery have old rye whiskey? Never! Seriously. It’s never happened. Maybe we’ve got some 7 year floating around. Back in the day, High West had some of that old barton stuff at 16 and 21 years. There was a little older rye coming out a little while back (Willett, BMH, Pepper), but right now it’s totally dry. When these guys came in with a some barrels just hanging around my jaw nearly dropped. Apparently, this stuff was picked up a few years back before the proverbial fan started spinning, so we’ve also avoided the any unwarrented price inflation. These two casks represent two opposite styles we get out of the great distillery in Lawrenceburg. After a few years maturing in Santa Fe’s semi-arid continental climate, they’ve suffiently mellowed these and neither whiskey is a hig proof power bomb. Instead, the subtle elegance of age has tempered the intensity we’re used to in the younger expressions. Cask #16 shows off a regal bouquet of candied orange peel, soft vanilla, and distant spice. Almost ethereal on the palate, the lightness is striking. It’s a whisper of a whisky at first, but with air becomes quite complex with tons to offer. It’s significantly lighter in color than the sister, but impressive in that it’s so approachable and alive. I’d feel comfortable pouring a glass of this for almost anyone from a geek to a grandma.

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