Drink Like You’re on Downton Abbey ~ K&L California – Scotch Whisky News
As many of you already know, we’ve been increasing our selection of directly-imported single casks of Scotch whisky as we continue to find value in sourcing single malt ourselves. While the mid-range expressions we’ve uncovered have garnered an incredbile amount of customer support, it’s the ultra-premium side of the supply chain that perhaps offers the largest price differentials. A bottle of 25 year old Macallan will run you a cool $1200 in today’s whisky market, while something like Balvenie 30 might be considered more affordable at “only” $999.99. This past Spring we went out of our way to find old and rare single casks of whisky that we thought delivered absolute top-shelf quality at prices that evoked far less of gut wrench. It’s with pride that we present to you know the crown jewels of this year’s K&L exclusive single malt selections. We hope you’re as thrilled with the effort as we are.
Part of our newly-acquired Hunter Laing “Old & Rare” series, this single sherry butt of Springbank marks one of the great cask acquisitions in the history of our spirits department, in terms of both the quality of the whisky itself and the rarity of the liquid in general. Years ago we were able to purchase 10-12 year old cask selections directly from the legendary Campbeltown distillery, one of the last family-owned operations in Scotland. However, increased demand and an inability to maintain sufficient stocks quickly ended that program, while limitations and allocations for older whiskies from Springbank were quickly introduced. Needless to say, we searched for an alternative source and found that our friends in Glasgow had one little gem of a sherry butt to offer us. For those looking to understand what exactly makes Springbank the crown jewel of Scotland distilleries, look no further than this expression. Huge, unctuous waves of meaty sherry immediately envelop the palate, adding layers of earth, rancio, toffee, and nougut. The mid-palate is a full-bodied mouthful of pure Olorosso sherry richness and the maltiness from the whisky itself helps to add more volume. The finish is a slow-moving spiral of all these flavors, swirling around your mouth until the finish finally fades away. This is a true legend of a cask. It’s worth every penny of the price.
David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 28, 2015
This 18 year old sherry butt of Springbank is expensive, but it’s also the epitome of everything that defines this iconic distillery. It’s rich, unctuous, oily, viscous, earthy, fudgy, mouth-coating, and complex in a way that simple Highland whiskies can only dream of being. It’s the real deal. A slam dunk, home run, out of the park, half court shot, add your next best sports analogy here.
Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 28, 2015
Perhaps the best single malt I have tasted in a long time. Richness and depth that are quite exquisite. I think this is quite a special whisky.
1985 Longmorn 29 Year Old Hunter Laing’s “Old & Rare” Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($349.99)
Part of our new Hunter Laing “Old & Rare” series, this incredible 29 year old Longmorn showcases the effects of light and subtle hogshead maturation over the course of almost three decades. Despite nearly thirty years in wood, the color is still a golden straw color and the aromas are still dominated by fruit rather than oak. Its on the palate that the whisky’s age becomes clear as an oily, luscious, mouth-coating texture overwhelms the senses, coupled with poached pears, creme brulee, and a resinous note from the oak. Longmorn has long been an insider’s favorite, known for rich and concentrated malty flavor. This single barrel expression beautifully showcases the distillery’s reputaion for quality and character in a rare, ultra-mature release.
Joe Manekin | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 19, 2015
A fantastic, very old, classic expression, this Longmorn has it all and is a more than worthy splurge. A nose of dried grains and cream also has nuances of well worn leather. Indeed simply nosing this whiskey brings to mind a distinguished study or library, fine woolen plaid products, and any other number of quintessentially Scottish objects. Beautifully balanced and distinguished on the palate, fully dry, no Sherry or candied sweetness but more of a confident, soft, understated caress on the palate. I shall buy a bottle of this Hunter Laing bottled Longmorn and fully savour it. If you love Scotch whisky then you may want to follow suit.
In what is likely to be the most-overlooked of the recently acquired Hunter Laing “Old & Rare” series, don’t let this 41 year old sherry cask of Teaninich fall off your radar. It’s one of the most pleasing, easy to love, deliciously decadent sherry aged whiskies we’ve tasted this year. While most people have never heard of the Johnnie Walker distillery, the name on the bottle is perhaps the least important aspect of this whisky’s quality, yet it’s completely relevant when determining the price. Simply put, if this bottle said Macallan 41 on the label we’d be slapping a five figure price point on the shelf. However, with similar sherry-aged flavors, sweet toffee richness, and single barrel concentration of flavor, the comparison isn’t all that far off. The sweetness of the sherry is still there even after 40+ years in the barrel. It’s robust, brimming with dessert-like qualities, but it’s not even remotely tired. It’s a beautifully balanced ride from front to back, meandering from maple donut bar to baking spices and cloves. $450 is a serious chunk of change in today’s whisky market, but considering the age and the quality of this Teaninich, we think it’s quite the steal. Our goal was to find a less expensive luxury whisky that delivered the highest possible quality for the best possible price. We think we’ve succeeded in that quest.
David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 28, 2015
Along with the Springbank, this whisky absolutely blew me away. But whereas with the Springbank I was impressed by what I expected to be the case, with this 41 year old Teaninich I was shocked by the quality I tasted in spite of my expectations. This whisky is an absolute sherry bomb that is still fresh as a daisy despite its four decades in wood. The oloroso flavors are still sweet, the spices are still lively, and the richness never at all dry or musty. It’s a complete curveball. This is what people wish high-end Macallan tasted like after dropping $1000 or more on an ancient bottling. This is what I wish all high-end whisky tasted like.
When we visited the Hunter Laing office this past April, we were hoping to find something truly special as our hopes for cult distilleries like Port Ellen and Brora have long since dried up, or been crushed by the four-figure price tags. For us at K&L personally, Glenfarclas continues to be one of the most beloved and iconic producers we continue to work with directly. However, upon our last trip to the Highland distillery we were unable to find anything beyond 24 years of age that was available for us to purchase. When our friends at Hunter Laing said they might be able to bridge that gap with a bit of “Speyside’s Finest” they gave us a little wink and smiled wryly as sample was fetched. What we tasted that afternoon in Glasgow was simply unreal. An old school expression of ancient sherry, rancio, earth, spice, cocoa, fudge, and classic Glenfarclas grit that offered up a mouthful of true Speyside character. This whisky is nearly 50 years in age, bottled at cask strength, and unchillfiltered. Only 60 bottles were made available and supplies are limited to quantities on hand
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
